http://www.alliancephilippines.com/

Alliance Philippines, Alliance Philippines Filipino Language School 550 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC (2026)

09/27/2026

📍 Where should our next Filipino language classes be?

We’re asking parents to help us plan class locations, Saturday schedules, and future offerings for children and teens. Whether your family has joined Alliance Philippines before or is just discovering us, we’d love to hear from you!

Fill out our short survey: https://forms.gle/FS8AoWbgcBdP1Zbt8

As a little thank-you, everyone who completes the form will be entered into a raffle. Three families will each win one free month of classes, worth $100!

Your answers will help us bring Filipino language classes closer to your family. 🇵🇭

09/03/2026

LEARN FILIPINO, DISCOVER THE PHILIPPINES.

#02 | KALAW
One word. A much bigger story. 🇵🇭

There’s even more to the kalaw than we could fit into the carousel.

Look closely at its enormous bill and you’ll notice the structure sitting on top of it. That’s called a casque—one of the most recognizable features of hornbills.

And the kalaw has another rather impressive talent: fruit tossing. Hornbills can pick up fruit with the tip of the bill, toss it into the air and catch it farther back before swallowing it. 🍒

The Rufous Hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax) is also sexually dimorphic, meaning males and females can be distinguished by their appearance. Males are generally larger, and differences in the bill, casque and eye area can help distinguish the sexes.

Kalaw pairs also depend on large, mature trees with suitable cavities for nesting. That makes the preservation of old-growth forest especially important: protecting a forest isn’t only about keeping trees standing—it also means preserving the particular trees wildlife needs to reproduce.

And here’s another connection hidden in the name: Kalaw is also a Filipino surname. Teodoro M. Kalaw, Pura Villanueva Kalaw and Maria Kalaw Katigbak take the story far beyond ornithology and into Philippine literature, journalism, politics, women’s rights and public service.

We chose Kalaw for our young learners because it invites curiosity. One Filipino word can lead them into nature, history and heritage—and show them that learning a language is also about discovering the world behind it.

🐦 KALAW | Grades 2–4
Beginner 1.0 & Beginner 2.0
📚 Sept. 12–Oct. 3
🗓 Saturdays | 1:00–2:30 PM
📍 550 Cambie St., Vancouver

Enrolment now open
🌐 www.alliancephilippines.ca

09/01/2026

🇵🇭 LEARN FILIPINO, DISCOVER THE PHILIPPINES
#01 | MAYA 🐦

What did your family call maya?

Here’s something many of us probably didn’t learn in school: maya isn’t just one kind of bird.

In the Philippines, maya is a folk category used for several small, familiar birds, particularly sparrows, finches and munias.

🐦 Mayang p**a — the Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla), the Philippine national bird until 1995, when President Fidel V. Ramos declared the Philippine Eagle the national bird.

⛪ Mayang simbahan — the Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus), the little brown bird many Filipinos now picture when they hear maya. It is not native to the Philippines but became widespread around towns and cities.

And there are others: mayang bukid, mayang kawayan, mayang bato, mayang paking and mayang costa.

One little word can open a conversation about Filipino language, nature, history and culture.

And that is exactly why we chose MAYA 🐦 as the name of our youngest learners’ group.

🇵🇭 MAYA | KINDER–GRADE 1

Children learn Filipino through conversation, stories, songs, games and play—building vocabulary and confidence while discovering the Philippines along the way.

📚 Fall Term #1: September 12–October 3
🗓 Saturdays | 1:00–2:30 PM
📍550 Cambie Street, Vancouver

Registration is now open.
www.alliancephilippines.ca

08/29/2026

🇵🇭 As Buwan ng Wika comes to a close, let’s talk about languages—and dialects.

How many languages are spoken in the Philippines?

Depending on how languages and varieties are classified, estimates generally put the number at well over 100 living languages—often around 130–180.

Ilocano, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Kapampangan and Pangasinan are not simply “dialects of Filipino.” They are languages.

So what’s the difference?

A language has its own system of vocabulary, grammar and sounds. A dialect is a variety within a language, with differences in pronunciation, vocabulary and sometimes grammar.

But the distinction isn’t always simple.

Take Ifugao. Rather than one uniform “Ifugao dialect,” the name encompasses closely related languages, including Tuwali Ifugao, Ayangan Ifugao, Amganad Ifugao and Batad Ifugao.

Kalinga likewise encompasses several closely related languages and varieties, including Limos, Lubuagan, Butbut, Tanudan, Southern and Mabaka Valley Kalinga. How some varieties are grouped differs among linguistic classifications.

Now consider Tagalog.

Tagalog is a language, but it has regional dialects and varieties associated with places such as Manila, Bulacan, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Marinduque and Mindoro.

This matters because many Filipinos grew up hearing:

“Dialect lang namin iyon.”
“It’s just our dialect.”

But what your parents or grandparents spoke may actually be one of the Philippines’ many distinct languages.

Lola may speak Ilocano. Dad, Cebuano. Mom, Hiligaynon. Everyone understands Filipino. And the children in Canada answer in English.

That is multilingualism—and part of our Filipino story.

There is no single way to sound Filipino.

Nag-aaral pa ako.
I’m still learning.

🇵🇭 Maligayang Buwan ng Wika!

💬 What Philippine language—or languages—did you grow up hearing?

08/29/2026

Throwback: From Open House to Our Third Term

🇵🇭 Throwback to January 10, 2026.

This was the day we held the Open House for the Alliance Philippines Filipino Language School at 550 Cambie Street.

But the story of the school began earlier.

We piloted the program in April 2025. We had hoped to continue with a fall term, but had to cancel it while we searched for an affordable rental space. We continued working through the winter, and after securing space at 550 Cambie Street, we launched the school in January 2026.

Two weeks after the Open House, our first students arrived for the first class of our first full term.

In the spring, we held another six-week term.

Now, we’re getting ready for our third term this fall.

The school began with a simple hope: to give Filipino children and young people growing up in Canada a place to learn and use the language—not just know a few words from home.

Since then, we’ve been learning and growing with our students and families.

Salamat to everyone who has been part of this journey. ❤️

🎥 Here’s a little look back at where we began:
https://youtu.be/IyqVApTg1xA

Fall enrolment is now open.

If you’ve been thinking about helping your child learn Filipino, join us this September.

🇵🇭 4 Saturdays | September 12–October 3, 2026
📍 550 Cambie Street, Vancouver

Register for the fall term here:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/filipino-language-school-fall-1-sept-12-oct-3–2026

08/28/2026

✨ Dindo! Pundido! ✨🪰

What a wonderful Kwentong Pinoy! 🇵🇭📚 Thank you to all the families who joined us for Dindo Pundido—with bilingual storytelling, singing, dancing, hands-on activities, and, of course, meryenda! 💛

Our young readers even made their own special alitaptap ✨🪲✨ while discovering what makes each of us special.

Maraming salamat to our Kwentong Pinoy partners SUMMIT and Adarna House, our volunteers, and all the parents and children who spent the day learning and celebrating Filipino language and culture with us.

Special thanks as well to Narima Dela Cruz, founding president of the Surrey Philippine Independence Day Society (SPIDS), for joining us at Kwentong Pinoy! 💛🇵🇭

Shout out to Nora Lane, Vice President of Grupo Ilocano Association of BC, for sponsoring meryenda. Agyaman kami, Manang Nora.

🎃🌕 NEXT KWENTONG PINOY: HALLOWEEN EDITION! 🌕🎃

Something mysterious is coming to Kwentong Pinoy this October… 👀🐴

Tikbalang sa Kabilugan ng Buwan 🌕
📅 October 3rd, Saturday
📍 Burnaby Public Library – Bob Prittie Metrotown

Come celebrate Halloween, Filipino-style! 🇵🇭🎃 Join us for a not-too-spooky afternoon of Filipino storytelling, language, crafts, activities, and meryenda for the whole family.

👻 Halloween costumes are welcome!

🔗 RSVP through the link in our bio.

Kitakits tayo doon! 👋✨

08/28/2026

What do you want to be able to do in Filipino? 🇵🇭

Talk with your grandparents and relatives? Join Filipino conversations with confidence? Prepare for a trip to the Philippines? Speak more naturally for acting, media, or interviews? Or explore Filipino stories, books, and literature in the language?

Tita Khristine’s Filipino Language Bootcamps are built around your starting point, interests, and goals. Choose from specialized bootcamps in Conversation, Family & Heritage, Travel, Actors & Media, and Filipino Reading & Literature. Your learning builds progressively from what you already know, with plenty of opportunities to practise and apply Filipino in situations that are meaningful to you.

Meet Tita Khristine 👋

Khristine Carino, PhD is a teacher and Filipino Language Coach whose teaching philosophy is simple: start with the learner. She takes time to understand what you already know, what you need to learn, and what you want to be able to do—then scaffolds your learning from there. Rather than learning vocabulary and grammar in isolation, you learn them in context and put them to use.

At UBC, Khristine was a postdoctoral research and teaching fellow and part-time faculty member in Dentistry. She trained in blended learning through UBC’s Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) and later applied this training in developing and implementing blended learning at the UBC School of Nursing.

Khristine earned her PhD from Tokyo Medical University as a Government of Japan Monbusho (MEXT) Scholar. Her teaching experience spans university, professional, and community education. She is a co-founder of Alliance Philippines and a 2025 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award recipient.

Start where you are. Build from what you know. Learn Filipino for what matters to you.

📩 Email Tita Khristine at [email protected] to book your Filipino Language Bootcamp.

08/27/2026

Meet Teacher Sofia! 🌼🇵🇭

For children in Grades 2–4, learning Filipino should feel fun, encouraging, and connected to their everyday lives. That’s what Teacher Sofia brings to our Maya class.

With 8 years of experience in early learning and a diploma in Early Childhood Education, Sofia understands how children learn best—through stories, conversation, play, music, movement, and hands-on experiences.

She previously taught our Kindergarten and Grade 1 Filipino Language classes and recently led Kwentong Pinoy Surrey, bringing Filipino language and culture to life through bilingual storytelling and interactive activities.

This Fall, Teacher Sofia joins Teacher Corrina in Maya (Grades 2–4), where they’ll help children build their Filipino vocabulary and conversation skills while growing more confident in using the language with family and community. 🇵🇭💛

🐦 Maya | Grades 2–4
📅 Saturdays
⏰ 1:00–2:30 PM
📍 550 Cambie St., Vancouver

Early Bird Registration: $75 until August 31
Spaces are limited to 12 learners.

🔗 Register through the link in our bio.

08/27/2026

Meet Teacher Mariel! 🌿🇵🇭

For children in Grades 5–7, learning Filipino is about more than learning new words—it’s about building the confidence to understand, communicate, and connect with their heritage.

Originally from Isabela, Philippines, Teacher Mariel is a scholar and student leader currently in her second year at the University of British Columbia, with growing interests in psychology, medicine, research, and working with children and communities.

Mariel has been a Teaching Assistant with Alliance Philippines since April, supporting our intermediate Filipino Language classes. She has also worked with children through a free tutoring program in Makati City. Through these experiences, she has learned the importance of listening to young people, communicating with patience, and recognizing that every learner brings a different perspective and way of learning.

This Fall, Teacher Mariel joins Teacher Daizer in Haribon (Grades 5–7), supporting learners as they strengthen their Filipino vocabulary and conversation skills, build confidence using the language, and deepen their connection to Filipino heritage. 🇵🇭💛

🦅 Haribon | Grades 5–7
📅 Saturdays
⏰ 1:00–2:30 PM
📍 550 Cambie St., Vancouver

Early Bird Registration: $75 until August 31
Spaces are limited to 12 learners.

🔗 Register through the link in our bio.

08/26/2026

Meet our 3rd teacher, Juan Carlos Del Mundo aka Teacher Rex!

Before volunteering at Alliance Philippines, Rex had a brief stint teaching in high school. After he went on to have a long career in advertising as a copywriter and creative director in Manila and Dubai. After decades of building brands, Rex considers it a privilege to once again help in building future generations, this time in Vancouver! There’s nothing more rewarding than watching young people discover ways to connect with our traditions. Teaching lets him pass on knowledge of our languages and the joy of understanding where we come from and where we’re going, but also have fun doing it!

Teacher Rex will be teaching the Teens and Adults classes!
Secure your spot in the class by registering in the link in our bio or this link below!

Teens: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/teens-filipino-language-school-fall-1-sept-12-oct-3-2026-copy

Adults: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/adults-filipino-language-school-fall-1-sept-12-oct-3–2026

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