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40 Years of Craft & Culture: How House of Embroideries and Crafts Became a CNE Legacy Gallery15 photos

40 Years of Craft & Culture: How House of Embroideries and Crafts Became a CNE Legacy

Since 1986, husband-and-wife duo Cesar and Neftalie Abrenica have run House of Embroideries and Crafts, a beloved fixture in the CNE's International Pavilion. For 40 years, the couple has personally hand-set their booth, showcasing shell crafts and hand-embroidered Barong Tagalog from Batangas, Baguio, Bicol, and Cebu. Beyond the nostalgia it brings older generations, the booth has become a bridge for young Filipino-Canadians rediscovering their roots — and for curious Canadians encountering Filipino craftsmanship for the first time. Every sale, Neftalie says, also supports artisans and workers back in the Philippines, making the booth as much a mission as a business.

09-07-2026

Faith, Food, and Filipino Hospitality Feeding Thousands Gallery11 photos

Faith, Food, and Filipino Hospitality Feeding Thousands

Ayuda sa Canada (Help in Canada), a volunteer-run initiative under God's Strength Ministries, led by Filipina Doris Greaves and her husband Pastor Dave. What began as food handed out of their family garage has grown into a monthly lifeline for thousands across Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, and Mississauga. Rooted in Filipino values of bayanihan (communal unity) and hospitality, Greaves treats every distribution as more than logistics—it's an act of dignity. She describes a shifting clientele: no longer just newcomers facing temporary setbacks, but working professionals and fixed-income seniors who "never imagined they would need food support." Her goal now is to build a permanent food pantry and community space, so that food distribution becomes something more lasting than a monthly stop—a place people know they belong.

08-08-2026

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Dr. Marissa Balles talks to her patient at Bathurst-Steeles Dental Clinic in Thornhill, Ontario September 5, 2026.
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AGAINST ALL ODDS AT 56: THE UNTOLD STORY OF FILIPINA DENTIST WHO REFUSED TO LET HER DREAM DIE

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Dr. Marissa Balles talks to her patient at Bathurst-Steeles Dental Clinic in Thornhill, Ontario September 5, 2026.

SYNAG/Cheryl Ravelo-Gagalac

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AGAINST ALL ODDS AT 56: THE UNTOLD STORY OF FILIPINA DENTIST WHO REFUSED TO LET HER DREAM DIE

She spent 20 years treating patients in the Philippines, only to end up behind a front desk in Canada, but Dr. Marissa Balles conquered heartbreak, financial strain, and high-stakes exams to reclaim her calling as a dentist when most would have already quit.

09-07-2026· 16 photos