| Anita J. Pascua St. John's Newfoundland, Canada A Dedicated Educator and A Role Model, Committed to the Promotion of Multi-Culturalism |
Growing up in a military and strict disciplinarian parents, Annie
recalls was not easy. Pedro Juan, my dad, was a U.S. military
man and my mother, Nina Juan, was an outstanding teacher and
mother to all of us four children. I have two brothers and one
sister,” related Annie.
Anita”Annie” Juan Pascua was born in Laoag City, Philippines.
She graduated from Candon Ilocos Sur High School. At age
fifteen, she was accepted at the University of the Philippines
(U.P.), a university that requires above average grades from high
school, and resided at the U.P. Women’s Dormitory. During her
sophomore year, she joined the Sigma Beta Society, the most
powerful sorority at U.P.’s campus. The sorority participated in
Student Government that made Annie realized her flair for politics
, specially campaigning. She played an active role in the
International Student Club at the U.P. campus where she met and
bonded with students from all over the world. She was also an
active officer and member of various campus organizations.
With an impressive credentials in leadership, she graduated in
1962 with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Home
Technology/Nutrition, and at the same year, she passed the
Philippine’s Civil Service Examinations.”Though I was not
prepared I was always tempted to believe that a place had been
recalls was not easy. Pedro Juan, my dad, was a U.S. military
man and my mother, Nina Juan, was an outstanding teacher and
mother to all of us four children. I have two brothers and one
sister,” related Annie.
Anita”Annie” Juan Pascua was born in Laoag City, Philippines.
She graduated from Candon Ilocos Sur High School. At age
fifteen, she was accepted at the University of the Philippines
(U.P.), a university that requires above average grades from high
school, and resided at the U.P. Women’s Dormitory. During her
sophomore year, she joined the Sigma Beta Society, the most
powerful sorority at U.P.’s campus. The sorority participated in
Student Government that made Annie realized her flair for politics
, specially campaigning. She played an active role in the
International Student Club at the U.P. campus where she met and
bonded with students from all over the world. She was also an
active officer and member of various campus organizations.
With an impressive credentials in leadership, she graduated in
1962 with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Home
Technology/Nutrition, and at the same year, she passed the
Philippine’s Civil Service Examinations.”Though I was not
prepared I was always tempted to believe that a place had been
set for me somewhere,” explained Annie. ‘I kept thinking of going abroad, the United States in particular.”
She contacted several universities in the U.S. and while awaiting the result of her inquiries, she enrolled at
U.P. to take up Philippine Constitution (Works Life of Dr. Jose P. Rizal), Public Relations and Advance
Nutrition courses. Then in 1963, the late Philippine President Diosdado Macapal proposed a “Crash
Program” for the Agricultural Productivity Commission, Department of Agriculture, a program for better rural
Philippines recruiting graduate students from U.P. who passed either Agriculture, Home Economics or
Nutrition. Annie applied and was employed as Rural Youth Officer in Region 3, Province of Pangasinan. As
a result of her exceptional and outstanding efforts, at the young age of 22, she was awarded “Most
Outstanding Rural Youth Officer” of the Philippine Department of Agriculture and was promoted as a
Provincial Youth Supervisor in charged of twenty eight Rural Youth Officers, traveling around various
regions in the Philippines, she was one of the judges to the National 4-H Club rallies. As a result, she had
successfully trained 4-H Club members who in turn became qualified to receive awards and scholarships.
In 1966, Annie hosted the International Farm Youth Exchange with delegates from various regions in the
world.
In 1967, she was offered a Fellowship in Nutrition at the University of New Mexico. However, due to mix up,
she was sent to St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada instead and was immediately employed by the
Department of Education in Newfoundland as Craft Training Supervisor. After her one-year contract with the
Department, in 1968, she applied at the Roman Catholic School Board in St. John’s to teach Biology and
Food and Nutrition for grades 10-11 at the Holy Heart of Mary Regional High School, a shift system with 1500
all girls students . In 1970, the Canadian Department of Education awarded her Permanent Teacher’s
Certificate as Specialist, and from the Director of Curriculum, a Certificate of Appreciation. The only Asian,
and a Filipino, of a team of five teachers, Annie and her group were tasked to develop Home Economics
curriculum for the Province of Newfoundland.
Annie singlehandedly staged fashion shows, beauty contests, international cooking contests, written Filipino
recipes, set up food and crafts displays for the Education Department. As a highly visible Filipino image
highlighter, through her teaching skills, not only in the Province of Newfoundland but as in other regions
in Canada as well,. Annie received cards of appreciation, certificates of appreciation and other accolades
from fellow-teachers, school principals and others. In 1982 to 1987, the Canadian Government tasked her to
correct and set up examination papers for the Government Public Examination in Nutrition and Textiles.
To top all her challenges, she took up graduate courses in Home Economics at Mount St. Vincent University
Halifax in Nova Scotia. She was the University’s Spanish interpreter for foreign students from Mexico, South
America and other Spanish-speaking countries. She took Education Courses at the Memorial University in
Newfoundland.
In 1978, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association had invited Annie as one of the “balik-U.P.”
celebrants in the Philippines.
In 1985, noticing that Newfoundland was becoming a place of increasing cultural diversity, Annie decided to
get involved with the Canadian mainstream community to promote Multi-culturalism not only in
Newfoundland but across the vast territories of Canada. In 1986-87, she was elected President of the
Filipino Association in Newfoundland. Using the Filipino Association as a vehicle to project positive image
for the Filipinos, she put together Philippine Cultural Shows, Fashion Shows, Folk Dances and Choral
groups. Annie was appointed as Fashion Show Coordinator during the province wide Canada Day and St.
John’s Day sponsored by the Province of Newfoundland. Moving further to promote Filipinism, and utilizing
her connections with the Canadian government, she initiated the first Filipino Language School in St. John’s
funded by the Canadian Secretary of State.
Annie was one of the founders of the Ethnocultural Association of Newfoundland, an umbrella organization
composing of twenty organizations active in promoting Multi-culturalism. Elected as Member at Large, and as
Youth and Social Committee for four years, Annie spoke before countless conferences, seminars and special
function events around the Province. “And I always made sure that every one knows that I am a Filipino
woman,” mused Annie.
Annie has been honored and acknowledged in various mainstream events during Volunteer Recognition
receptions sponsored by the Newfoundland Department of Tourism and Recreation.
In 1988-1992, Annie was elected twice as Regional Vice President for the Atlantic Region I of UCFAC, now
known as National Council of Filipino-Canadian Associations. She served as chairperson of the Filipino
Youth Council of Canada for four years.
She spoke before various organizations on subject covering youth and community’s participations. She has
been the Official Representative of Newfoundland to conferences in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal on
Ethnocultural Equality Rights, Wife Assault and Violence Against Women, Family Abuses, Drug and AIDS
Training Conference. She also contributed feature articles in several mainstream media in Canada.
In 1997, she was appointed as Chapter President of the Philippine Centennial Movement by PCM Chairman
Salvador “Doy” Laurel commemorating the 100th years of the Philippine Independence. Recently she was
awarded an Honorable Retirement and Life Membership Award from the Newfoundland and Labrador
Teachers Association in recognition of the 30 years of dedicated service to education. Last May, she was
named as one of the Most Outstanding Filipino-Canadians.
As staunch travelers, her husband and son have been an official delegates to many Agricultural Engineering
Conferences and Fairs in Canada, the United States, England, Asian Countries, and Hawaiian islands. Her
husband, Maurice Pascua, is a structural engineer with the Department of Forest Resources and agrifoods in
Newfoundland. Her son, Marc Anthony, works at the University of British Columbia, Computer Campus.(NM)
She contacted several universities in the U.S. and while awaiting the result of her inquiries, she enrolled at
U.P. to take up Philippine Constitution (Works Life of Dr. Jose P. Rizal), Public Relations and Advance
Nutrition courses. Then in 1963, the late Philippine President Diosdado Macapal proposed a “Crash
Program” for the Agricultural Productivity Commission, Department of Agriculture, a program for better rural
Philippines recruiting graduate students from U.P. who passed either Agriculture, Home Economics or
Nutrition. Annie applied and was employed as Rural Youth Officer in Region 3, Province of Pangasinan. As
a result of her exceptional and outstanding efforts, at the young age of 22, she was awarded “Most
Outstanding Rural Youth Officer” of the Philippine Department of Agriculture and was promoted as a
Provincial Youth Supervisor in charged of twenty eight Rural Youth Officers, traveling around various
regions in the Philippines, she was one of the judges to the National 4-H Club rallies. As a result, she had
successfully trained 4-H Club members who in turn became qualified to receive awards and scholarships.
In 1966, Annie hosted the International Farm Youth Exchange with delegates from various regions in the
world.
In 1967, she was offered a Fellowship in Nutrition at the University of New Mexico. However, due to mix up,
she was sent to St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada instead and was immediately employed by the
Department of Education in Newfoundland as Craft Training Supervisor. After her one-year contract with the
Department, in 1968, she applied at the Roman Catholic School Board in St. John’s to teach Biology and
Food and Nutrition for grades 10-11 at the Holy Heart of Mary Regional High School, a shift system with 1500
all girls students . In 1970, the Canadian Department of Education awarded her Permanent Teacher’s
Certificate as Specialist, and from the Director of Curriculum, a Certificate of Appreciation. The only Asian,
and a Filipino, of a team of five teachers, Annie and her group were tasked to develop Home Economics
curriculum for the Province of Newfoundland.
Annie singlehandedly staged fashion shows, beauty contests, international cooking contests, written Filipino
recipes, set up food and crafts displays for the Education Department. As a highly visible Filipino image
highlighter, through her teaching skills, not only in the Province of Newfoundland but as in other regions
in Canada as well,. Annie received cards of appreciation, certificates of appreciation and other accolades
from fellow-teachers, school principals and others. In 1982 to 1987, the Canadian Government tasked her to
correct and set up examination papers for the Government Public Examination in Nutrition and Textiles.
To top all her challenges, she took up graduate courses in Home Economics at Mount St. Vincent University
Halifax in Nova Scotia. She was the University’s Spanish interpreter for foreign students from Mexico, South
America and other Spanish-speaking countries. She took Education Courses at the Memorial University in
Newfoundland.
In 1978, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association had invited Annie as one of the “balik-U.P.”
celebrants in the Philippines.
In 1985, noticing that Newfoundland was becoming a place of increasing cultural diversity, Annie decided to
get involved with the Canadian mainstream community to promote Multi-culturalism not only in
Newfoundland but across the vast territories of Canada. In 1986-87, she was elected President of the
Filipino Association in Newfoundland. Using the Filipino Association as a vehicle to project positive image
for the Filipinos, she put together Philippine Cultural Shows, Fashion Shows, Folk Dances and Choral
groups. Annie was appointed as Fashion Show Coordinator during the province wide Canada Day and St.
John’s Day sponsored by the Province of Newfoundland. Moving further to promote Filipinism, and utilizing
her connections with the Canadian government, she initiated the first Filipino Language School in St. John’s
funded by the Canadian Secretary of State.
Annie was one of the founders of the Ethnocultural Association of Newfoundland, an umbrella organization
composing of twenty organizations active in promoting Multi-culturalism. Elected as Member at Large, and as
Youth and Social Committee for four years, Annie spoke before countless conferences, seminars and special
function events around the Province. “And I always made sure that every one knows that I am a Filipino
woman,” mused Annie.
Annie has been honored and acknowledged in various mainstream events during Volunteer Recognition
receptions sponsored by the Newfoundland Department of Tourism and Recreation.
In 1988-1992, Annie was elected twice as Regional Vice President for the Atlantic Region I of UCFAC, now
known as National Council of Filipino-Canadian Associations. She served as chairperson of the Filipino
Youth Council of Canada for four years.
She spoke before various organizations on subject covering youth and community’s participations. She has
been the Official Representative of Newfoundland to conferences in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal on
Ethnocultural Equality Rights, Wife Assault and Violence Against Women, Family Abuses, Drug and AIDS
Training Conference. She also contributed feature articles in several mainstream media in Canada.
In 1997, she was appointed as Chapter President of the Philippine Centennial Movement by PCM Chairman
Salvador “Doy” Laurel commemorating the 100th years of the Philippine Independence. Recently she was
awarded an Honorable Retirement and Life Membership Award from the Newfoundland and Labrador
Teachers Association in recognition of the 30 years of dedicated service to education. Last May, she was
named as one of the Most Outstanding Filipino-Canadians.
As staunch travelers, her husband and son have been an official delegates to many Agricultural Engineering
Conferences and Fairs in Canada, the United States, England, Asian Countries, and Hawaiian islands. Her
husband, Maurice Pascua, is a structural engineer with the Department of Forest Resources and agrifoods in
Newfoundland. Her son, Marc Anthony, works at the University of British Columbia, Computer Campus.(NM)
Washington D.C. Since 1987
Washington D.C. Since 1987
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