The Rise of Little Manila as a Tourist Spot

Volume 6, Issue No. 52

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of Romar Media Canada, The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail.com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .

 

Our latest as of Saturday, May 24, 2025 

~ From bedroom community to tourist destination, Toronto's so-called Little Manila is fast changing its nomenclature, much of it due to hardy Filipinos and Filipino Canadians eking out a living. Though the place name is unofficial, a charitable agency of the City of Toronto has recognized its existence by sponsoring walking tours of the area conducted by volunteers. But not all is fine and dandy there, scammers and persons of questionable characters lurk in some dark corners. 

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TORONTO'S LITTLE MANILA

Not Much of a Home Away from Home

The Unpleasantness Is Also There

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ 

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

"Places are only places . . . people make them into more than they are." - Will Hill

TORONTO - This summer and early fall, the patch of land in the city's northern neighbourhood will burst again into a frenzy of community gatherings highlighting the yearly transition from the gloom and cold of winter and its accompanying snowfall.

The changing seasons in Canada, specifically in these parts, are nature's exhilarating rituals celebrated by the diverse communities through dances, songs, food, prayers, and get togethers befitting their heritage.

Filipinos and Canadians of Filipino descent are among these groups who wake up from frigid hiatus and evolve into a celebratory mood, which means getting into revelries mimicking the social-cultural-religious fiesta atmosphere of the homeland.

The junction of Bathurst St. and Wilson Ave. in North York birthed Little Manila, the place name so-called to indicate a significant presence of Filipinos living, working, and doing business there. 

Before the late Philippine ambassador to Canada Leslie B. Gatan unofficially christened the area in August 2014, the intersection was no more than a transit point for commuters as it is within walking distance of two subway stations to the east (York Mills) and west (Wilson) from where one goes to any destination in the city.

(Related story: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2024/06/thanks-to-ambassador-gatan-he-gave-us.html).

Today, Little Manila is a bustling hub for community events. Its popularity has grown in years since its informal inception. Heritage Toronto, a registered charity of the City of Toronto, has recognized its potential as a tourist spot.

(Related video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRQgpFdBvJA).

In June 2018, the independent agency began a walking tour by Filipino volunteers starting from the Bathurst-Wilson Parkette, which the city also designated as Mabuhay Garden to accommodate growing demands for a Filipino-themed park. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsJFlnNerVA).

(Incidentally, a bust of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal stands at Earl Bales Park, two kilometres to the north: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ditXv2j3jXs. Also, Rizal's larger-than-life monument sculpted by artist Mogi Mogado dominates the Boxgrove Community Park in Markham, 30 kilometres to the northeast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak87ArSXQPk).

While it may not be construed as an endorsement, the city-sponsored tour is an acknowledgement of the many contributions of the Filipino community in terms of creating business opportunities and a recognition of their role in promoting multiculturalism.

The walking tour basically puts a spotlight on selected Filipino businesses. But the real highlight is in showing how their owners struggle to stay afloat and how they cope with challenges in serving the community beyond their traditional comfort zone.

Constant reference by community organizations to restaurants in Little Manila as a meeting place has made the area an easily-recognizable address for many Filipinos, perhaps a close second to the more common Bathurst-Wilson.

Other than eateries catering mostly to a Filipino clientele, there are others, e.g., beauty shops, mom-and-pop groceries, barbershops, bakeries, remittance centres, law offices, driving schools, real estate agencies, convenience stores, sidewalk vendors, and coffee shops.

As a thriving sub-section of the former city of North York, Little Manila has some unpleasantness to it too. Scammers and individuals of questionable characters take shelter in the comfort of their cubicles, which are passed off as offices.

(Additional reading: 

1. https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2020/01/little-manila-is-where-rogues-rumours.html

2. https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2022/06/little-manila-no-country-for-stupids.html

Last year, for example, five establishments which rejected demands for money by unidentified officials of Taste of Manila (ToM) festival were barricaded with 13-feet high steel fence, barring access from the main festival site on Bathurst St.

City authorities speaking privately said the barrier was unlawful and those who ordered it installed could be held legally accountable. One shop owner, Jonathan Mayor Pecpec, has publicly denounced the shakedown. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btf2yoU4AaE).

MP Ya'ara Saks (who lost her reelection bid in the April 28 federal election) said when reached for comment in January: "Everyone should benefit when a community festival comes in the area."

(Full story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2025/01/mp-yaara-saks-chides-taste-of-manila.html and video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLl_ud3-Xew).

At the height of the pandemic when nobody was looking, ToM officials and their supporters brazenly stole published photos and videos from the Filipino Web Channel and created their own videos promoting the virtual Taste of Manila. (Full story: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2022/08/fruits-of-steal-benefit-tom-organizers.html).

That daylight robbery was substantially admitted by Rolly Mangante aka Kabise who also named his co-conspirators, namely, Cecille Araneta, Ramon Datol, Philip Beloso, Pepito Torralba, a certain Jerome, Mangante's wife Nieves and daughters Jackie and Roloves. (Full story at:https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2022/07/mondee-names-alleged-culprits.html and video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXqjO8AWUJ4).

Through the years, Little Manila has acquired a bad reputation as a haven of some of the worst elements in the Philippine capital from where it got its name. Some greedy officials of ToM, notably the "kotong" gang, have contributed to its notoriety.

Another event is slated there in August and we can only hope the shameless extortion of 2024 would not be repeated by ToM organizers demanding some grease money. (Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved).