KALAYAAN incorporated as Kalayaan Filipino Cultural Organization (KFCO), a Not-for-Profit
Organization under Letters Patent #1136693 on August 16, 1995, by Resty del Rosario.

Kalayaan Filipino Cultural Organization (KFCO), under the leadership of Chair Jean Jovellanos, passed a resolution to establish a Filipino Community Centre in Mississauga.

Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre (KCCC) was incorporated as a Not-for-Profit organization under Letters Patent #1259306 on December 8, 1997, by Resty del Rosario. KCCC is a charitable organization governed by a Board independent of KFCO. Its primary objective is to operate a Filipino Centre.

Centennial celebration of Philippine Independence Day at SkyDome co-chaired by Resty del
Rosario and Willie Cantos raised $120,000 seed money for the KCCC facilities. Resty del
Rosario filed the application for “Charitable Organization” status with the Canada Revenue
Agency.

KCCC Constitution and ByLaws ratified. Charitable status approved. The first set of Executive Officers were elected with Willy Cantos as President.

Started operations at 5546 Timberlea Boulevard rent-free, courtesy of Cascade Canada Ltd., through its Controller, Carlos Padilla . Net rental income from the donated space from 1999 to 2005 was over $100,000.

For potential Board of Directors candidates, Carlos Padilla introduced the 150% Rule: a $1,000 deposit that is refundable once the director raises $1,500 annually.

Carlos Padilla elected president. With a building fund balance of over $300,000, the search for
a property to house KCCC was undertaken.

Consolacion “Ching” Quejas elected president.  She was re-elected in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012

President Consolacion “Ching” Quejas created the Building Acquisition Committee comprising Nestor Perez, Resty del Rosario, and Carlos Padilla. The committee’s initial building recommendation failed to meet the City of Mississauga’s zoning requirements.

Subsequently, the committee recommended the purchase of three condo units at 5225 Orbitor
Drive, listed by real estate agent Clemente Cabillan. The KCCC Board approved the
recommendation and the property was purchased for $975,000, on December 15, 2005.
Generously, Clemente Cabillan donated his commission to help cover part of the closing costs.
Culture Philippines of Ontario contributed $50,000, and the Mississauga Cooksville Lions Club
through its member Delfin Palileo provided $25,000 towards the down payment. The mortgage interest rate was at 9-½% as there were no guarantors.

Grant received from Ontario Trillium Foundation for $100,000 for the renovation of the Grand Hall and Washrooms.

Challenging times: Mama Ching and the KCCC Board members worked tirelessly to cover expenses such as the mortgage, maintenance fees, utilities, taxes, and more. Revenue from office and hall rentals, membership fees, and charity bingo was insufficient to cover the monthly
expenses.

Members of the KCCC Board of Directors, Vangie Alcasid, Marietta Balbastro, Pete Carin, Al Crisostomo, Estrelita Liwag, Resty del Rosario, Pons Padua, Consolacion Quejas, Ruffy Romano and Dr. Romy Sinajon provided a non-interest-bearing loan to KCCC to help with the mortgage payments.

Under the leadership of Madoline Baluca and Ponciano Padua, the STEPS CLUB raised over $10,000 for the Building Fund.

Jojo Sebastian is employed as a part-time office staff member at Kalayaan Centre. She consistently goes above and beyond, taking on additional responsibilities and exceeding expectations.

Received an OTF grant to fund the hiring of a Program Coordinator, responsible for developing a fundraising strategy. The grant, totaling $148,000, was distributed monthly over 48 months.

August – the first engineered flooring was installed in the grand hall, with the cost generously covered by the Filipino Seniors of Mississauga . Edgar Frondozo and Chito Carbonell , along with volunteers from Mapúans Ontario, carried out the installation.

Resty del Rosario applied with the City of Mississauga, Charity Gaming for a Bingo permit to be a Charity Member of the International Bingo Association. The application was approved in
November 2008

Chito Carbonell and Bobby Sunico donated and installed a sound system in the grand hall.

September – the first KCCC Classic Golf Tournament was held at Royal Ontario Golf Club. The tournament was sponsored by various individuals, organizations, and corporations. Chito Carbonell collected the biggest sponsorship donations. The event was organized and managed by Edgar Frondozo, Evelyn Laraya, Mars Cebrero, Jojo Sebastian, and later Tom Mascardo. The KCCC Classic Golf Tournament was held every year until 2019 and raised over
$80,000.

February – Edgar Frondozo registered the domain www.kalayaancentre.ca and launched the website.

March – Edgar Frondozo published the first issue of Nayon. The Nayon was Kalayaan Center’s newsletter and was published quarterly until March 2012.

May – Edgar negotiated with TD Canada Trust to transfer KCCC’s mortgage at an interest rate of 3.75% + prime. Dr. Romulo Sinajon, Luis ‘Chito’ Carbonell, and Edgar Frondozo guaranteed the loan, resulting in an annual savings of $34,000 in interest payments for KCCC.

Edgar initiated the Electronic Fund Transfer Donation Program, with a monthly donation of $1,200 at its peak. The Bingo Social was secured by Resty del Rosario.

June – Rodel Meier directed and produced the first KCCC Children’s Fashion Show with the assistance of Charity Lim and Mayette Balbastro . Two more Children’s Fashion in May 2010 and June 2019 were held. In October 2022, Rodel produced the Simply Terno Fashion Show with the assistance of Andrea Frondozo, Jojo Sebastian, Evelyn Pond, and Judy Montenegro. The four fashion shows raised over $82,000 for Kalayaan Centre.

October – Typhoon Ondoy Relief Drive. Kalayaan Centre spearheaded a fundraising drive to help the victims of Typhoon Ondoy.

International Bingo operation was closed. Resty del Rosario appealed to the City of
Mississauga, Charity Gaming to transfer the KCCC Bingo Permit to Meadowvale Bingo now Rama Gaming Centre under the Mississauga Charitable Gaming Association.

The City of Mississauga and the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation approved the revised property tax assessment application for the 3 units owned by KCCC. Represented by Ruffy Romano, Elpidio Baluca, and Resty del Rosario , KCCC secured a 50% permanent property tax reduction for all 3 units. 

Grand hall painting organized by Chito Carbonell and his crew with Edgar Frondozo . Paint donated by Pasky Oliveria .

March – Chito Carbonell donated and installed the projector and screen for the grand hall stageas well as side lights for the hall.

September – Through funding from the Trillium Foundation, the stage was upgraded, the new sound system was installed, and new engineered flooring was installed in the grand hall.

February – Edgar Frondozo, Resty del Rosario, Carlos Padilla, Rene Sevilla, Ruffy Romano, and Tommy de Guia drafted the ISANG KALAYAAN document. The document proposed integrating the mandate, functions, and operations of the Kalayaan Filipino Cultural Organization (KFCO) into the Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre (KCCC). The document
was submitted and approved at the KCCC AGM. It was submitted and discussed at the KFCO AGM but no decision was made.

An OTF grant of $90,300 was received for the installation of new flooring, ceiling painting, and the installation of electrical and theatrical lighting, curtains/drapes, a sound system, and a stage.

Policies and Procedures Manual drafted by Linda Carin, Resty del Rosario, and Edgar Frondozo . This was presented and approved at the 2014 AGM.

November – Haiyan Disaster Relief Campaign. Kalayaan Centre spearheaded a fundraising drive to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan.

Carlos Padilla , 2nd President of KCCC passed away. Resty del Rosario was elected President and re-elected in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024.

Chito Carbonell started his Birthday Fundraising Party. Over the years, Chito raised over $40,000 for Kalayaan Centre not including the thousands of sponsorship funds he raised for various programs such as the KCCC Golf Tournaments and Walkathon.

Consolacion “Mama Ching” Quejas, 3rd President of KCCC passed away at 93 years old. She served as President of KCCC from 2005 – 2013.

Judy Montenegro established a collaborative working partnership with the Philippine Consulate General Office in Toronto with a bi-yearly Consular Outreach held at Kalayaan Centre to serve
Filipinos on Passport applications, Notarial Services, NBI clearance requests, overseas voting registration, Dual Citizenship/Oath taking , and services related to SSS and Pag-IBIG.

September/2019 – January/2020
The Board established a working group committee consisting of Edgar Frondozo (chair), Linda Carin, Resty del Rosario, Chito Carbonell, Evelyn Laraya, Rodel Meier, and Rene Sevilla to evaluate and assess Kalayaan Centre’s two decades of operation.
The working group was tasked to:

– determine obstacles and challenges that face the organization

– review, clarify and if necessary rewrite the goals, mission, and vision statements

– review and update the Constitution and By-Laws

– review the organizational structure

– review and update the Policy and Procedures Manual

The committee’s preliminary discoveries were shared with the membership during multiple meetings for consultation. The final report was presented at the 2020 AGM. 

August – December
In the height of the COVID-19 epidemic, KCCC collaborated with Second Harvest, to help manage and redirect existing surpluses to address food insecurity and to avoid food waste.” Edgar Frondozo coordinated the project. 31 pallets, 2,601 cases, and 41,459 lbs of food were
distributed to 2 senior buildings, 4 church groups, 7 Charitable organizations, and other community organizations. A total of 1,400 households benefited.

Judy Montenegro launched the Virtual Friend program supported by an OTF (Ontario Trillium Foundation) grant. The Virtual Friend program is an online virtual support group for seniors to address and reduce social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 80 seniors participated in the program. Jojo Sebastian coordinated with the senior participants.

Cartas de Amor, a musical performance about Jose Rizal and his first love Leonor Rivera was hosted at KCCC. The memorable cultural performance was covered by OMNI and featured in
community newspapers Balita and Atin Ito. Judy Montenegro organized the show and she also managed to secure funding from the Bingo fund.

January – With the board’s approval, the remaining balance of the mortgage was paid in full .

October – Bring Your Own Parol Workshop provided a meaningful and enjoyable activity that brought people together while celebrating Filipino culture and the holiday spirit. There were 60 enthusiastic participants. The project was Evelyn Laraya’s idea. Edgar Frondozo coordinated the workshop with the help of Jojo Sebastian .

March – Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika, an evening of Original Pilipino Music (OPM), celebrating Filipino culture, talent, and artistry was held at Kalayaan Centre! Chito conceived of the idea; picked the artists and directed the show. Judy organized the event and secured permission from the
City of Mississauga Charity Gaming to cover the expenses using the Bingo Fund.

Significant Fundraising Events from December 2005 to Present.
1. 5-K Walkathon $80,000 plus
2. Fashion Shows (2010, 2019, 2022) by Rodel Meier $82,000
3. KCCC Golf Tournaments (2008-2019) $80,000
4. Birthday Celebration of Luis (Chito) Carbonell from 2013 $70,000 plus
5. KFCO – 1999 to present $ 170,000 plus
6. EFT – set up by Ed Frondozo $100,000 plus

Significant Yearly Events

5-K Walkathon
Started in 2004. The fundraising walk event starts at Kalayaan Centre. Individuals, groups, families, and babies in walkers are welcome. The walk ends at Kalayaan Centre with a full breakfast. Over the years the event was led by different members of the Board but Jojo Sebastian is the consistent coordinator in organizing the event. The walk brings the community together; promotes social interaction; encourages physical activity for better health. However, the full Filipino breakfast after the walk offsets the health benefits of the walk.😄 Prize awards are given to the fastest, oldest, and youngest walkers. After the discontinuation of the KCCC Golf Tournament, Chito Carbonell redirected his sponsorship donations to the walkathon.

Halloween Party
This is primarily a bring the community together event. Guests come as witches,
monsters, ghosts, vampires, and famous people to party and dance. The grand hall is
turned into a haunted house decorated with skeletons, bats, spider webs, graves, and
walking dead. The guest with the best costume gets a prize award. A board member is usually assigned to manage the event with Jojo Sebastian coordinating.

New Years Eve Party
The annual KCCC New Year’s Eve party is a vibrant celebration of music, dancing, and
delicious Filipino cuisine. Members and guests gather to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one with joy and camaraderie. The event features live entertainment, cultural performances, and a midnight countdown culminating in a spectacular balloon drop. It’s an evening of fun, laughter, and cherished traditions, making it a highlight of the KCCC community calendar.

Commendable Volunteer Services
Luis Carbonell – DJ
Rene Sevilla – Photographer
Delfin & Marlyn Palileo – Bingo volunteers

Rene Samonte – Bookkeeping