Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver Deepens Academic Engagement with the University of Victoria during Ambassador Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga’s Official Visit to Victoria

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, 06 May 2026 — On the third day of his high-level official mission to British Columbia, Philippine Ambassador to Canada, His Excellency José Victor V. Chan-Gonzaga and the Honorable Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin focused on concrete "follow-through" initiatives to expand educational ties between the Philippines and the University of Victoria. The visit to the university provided an opportunity for a meaningful roundtable discussion and a productive meeting with the University’s Acting President Dr. Robina Thomas.

The Philippine delegation with members of the academe from the University of Victoria. (Photo by Vancouver PCG)

Future-Proofing Leadership: Roundtable at the University of Victoria

The delegation participated in a comprehensive Roundtable Discussion hosted by the Department of Pacific and Asian Studies and the Office of Global Engagement. Moderated by Dr. Richard Fox (Chair, Pacific and Asian Studies), the panel featured UVic officials Jo-Anne Clarke (Dean, Continuing Studies), Tricia Best (International Centre for Students), Nicole Bates-Eamer (CIFAL Victoria), Nicole Boulet (Global Partnerships), Elsa Yan (Gustavson School of Business), Noelle Hinrichs (CAPI), and Jessica Loh (External Engagement).

The discussion centered on bridging the "information asymmetry" between Philippine development needs and Canadian academic expertise. Ambassador Chan-Gonzaga identified food security, agricultural technology, clean energy, and the creative industries—specifically animation and content creation—as primary sectors for innovation.

The Philippine delegation engages in a roundtable discussion with UVic officials to explore areas of collaboration. (Photo by Vancouver PCG)

The Ambassador highlighted these fields as fertile ground for UVic students, particularly those of Filipino descent, to participate in high-impact research and workforce-focused initiatives. 

He also emphasized the importance of the ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action and the ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) scholarship program as frameworks for deeper academic ties. When asked about the essential competencies for the next generation of leaders, the Ambassador highlighted critical thinking, systems thinking, and a holistic, strategic perspective as vital tools for navigating a complex, tech-enabled world.

Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin proposed institutionalizing these ties through two key initiatives: a prospective collaboration for the YouLeaD 2026 cultural immersion program starting in 2027—through possible enrollment of participants in UVic’s Filipino language courses—and the development of a tailored Community Leadership Development Course to equip Filipino-Canadian leaders with competencies in governance, strategic communication, and grant writing, among others.

The Consul General remarked: "Empowering the diaspora requires specialized tools; a tailored leadership course would provide our community leaders with the professional competencies necessary to build lasting institutional legacies in Canada."

(L-R facing the camera) DHM Rea Oreta, Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin, and Ambassador Jose Victor V. Chan-Gonzaga receive a warm welcome from UVic representatives. (Photo by Vancouver PCG)

Furthermore, expanding on the Ambassador’s ASEAN-focused remarks, the Consul General highlighted the Philippines’ strategic role as a global center for biodiversity, suggesting that UVic’s expertise in sustainability and environmental research could find significant synergy with established Philippine research institutes and biodiversity centers.

The roundtable concluded with a commitment to break down "siloed" approaches to international cooperation. The Ambassador and the Consul General invited UVic to be a key partner in a multi-stakeholder platform linking government, industry, and academia to move innovation "out of the lab and into the real world."

Indigenous Solidarity: Meeting with Acting President Dr. Robina Thomas

University of Victoria Acting President Dr. Robina Thomas receives the Philippine delegation at the Michael Williams Administrative Building on campus. (Photo by Vancouver PCG)

The official visit to UVic concluded with a productive dialogue with University of Victoria Acting President Dr. Robina Thomas (Qwul’thilum). The meeting opened with a recognition of the flourishing academic ties between the Philippines and the University of Victoria, with both sides celebrating the vital role the Filipino student body plays in enriching the campus's diverse intellectual and social landscape.

The discussions highlighted the striking parallels between the Philippines’ Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) and UVic’s pioneering Indigenous Law initiatives. To bridge these shared interests, Ambassador Chan-Gonzaga proposed a formal knowledge exchange framework between UVic’s Faculty of Law and Philippine Indigenous communities in the Cordillera and Mindanao, focusing on best practices in ancestral domain governance.

Building on this framework, Consul General Jamoralin suggested inviting a Philippine expert on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL)—which established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and IPRA.

The Ambassador further championed the YouLEAD program and briefed Acting President Thomas on the Global Affairs Canada Young Indigenous Leaders Pilot Program whose participants are scheduled to visit the Philippines in May urging UVic students of Filipino descent to serve as active bridge-builders in the PH–Canada relationship. 

Supporting this vision of youth empowerment and academic synergy, Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin remarked:

"The Filipino student community at UVic is a vital part of the campus fabric; we are eager to see UVic contribute to deeper connections between the diaspora and educational initiatives that empower them as bridge-builders in the Asia-Pacific. By fostering these ties, we ensure our students are not just learners, but active participants in the modern PH-Canada story."

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to move beyond traditional academic models, focusing instead on knowledge mobilization and student welfare initiatives that prepare the next generation for a complex global landscape.

Ambassador Jose Victor V. Chan-Gonzaga gifts Dr. Thomas with a book entitled “The Harvest Picnic” which honors Indigenous wisdom and celebrates the enduring friendship between the Philippines and Canada. (Photo by Vancouver PCG)

Philippine and UVic officials hold discussions with a shared commitment to advance knowledge mobilization and student welfare initiatives. (Photos by Vancouver PCG)