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Despite the bad weather, caregivers and their families recently came together for the annual Caregivers’ Day celebration in Toronto.

The day, which included a Zumba dance session, sought to celebrate caregivers’ dedication and their hard work.

“This is the only time we have to enjoy ourselves,” said Adoracion Ancheta, a caregiver for childcare. “It’s enjoyable even if it rained.”

Allan Basa, the event’s organizer and advisor of the Canadian Caregivers Assistance Organization, said the event also aimed to provide a platform for raising awareness on caregivers’ issues.

One of their primary concerns is the English language test which is a requirement for those aspiring to become permanent residents.

“In the past, we lobbied for a lot of policy reform and we were successful in saving caregivers who fall short of the requirement,” he said.

Basa added: “We continue to petition the government of Canada to come up with a program that will enable our caregivers to transition to permanent residency to be reunited with their families.”

Salma Zahid, member of Parliament for Scarborough Centre, received a copy of the group’s petition.

She said she has been advocating for programs for the welfare of caregivers and overseas Filipinos.

“I have raised that to make sure that they are looking into it very closely,” Zahid said. “There are some caregivers who lost their status or are undocumented. I’m the chairperson of the Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. We will be doing a study on that.”

The event was also a chance for caregivers to connect with others.

A newly formed group “United Mindanaoans in Canada” also captivated the audience with a cultural dance performance.