Fil-Canadian named 2020 Calgary 'citizen of the year'

A Filipino-Canadian activist made history as Calgary's citizen of the year, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

In a statement, the DFA said Marichu Antonio is the first Filipino-Canadian woman to win the award, which recognizes Calgarians for their outstanding achievements and significant contributions to the community.

Antonio is currently the executive director and a founding member of ActionDignity, an organization that works to make Calgary a just and equitable society for all.

She received the award virtually during the city's council meeting last June 21.

Antonio came to Canada in 1994 and worked as a community development manager at the Centre for Newcomers in Calgary for 13 years. She also co-founded the Multilingual Emergency Response Centre hotline in response to COVID-19 and sits as a key player in the Calgary East Zone Newcomers Collaborative.

"This is a big honor for our large Filipino community in Calgary.  I am certain that her remarkable achievement will inspire our fellow Filipinos in Canada to excel in their advocacies and professions," Consul General Zaldy Patron said. -MDM, GMA News