Dear Premier Eby letter: secret cultural centre plan exposed

By ReyFort Media

Now it can be told.

Opponents of a proposed Filipino cultural centre on Vancouver’s Main Street have raised a number of objections against the project.

What they have neither told the community nor disclosed publicly is their own plan to build a cultural centre in Burnaby.

Without public consultation, the Pinoy Festival Alliance is proposing to turn the old Firefighters Hall into a “provincial Filipino centre”. 

In a letter dated November 26, 2025, PFA chair Paul Clemente told B.C. Premier David Eby that his group is going to seek provincial and federal funding to purchase the 6515 Bonsor Avenue property.

Clemente is the husband of Burnaby City Councillor Maita Santiago.

For context, Clemente wrote to Premier Eby on November 26, the same day that Vancouver city council heard from Filipino community members, who overwhelmingly expressed support for a council motion by Mayor Ken Sim and Councillor Lenny Zhou to advance a Filipino cultural centre on Main Street.

Below is Clemente’s letter to Eby:

Dear Premier David Eby, 

Warm greetings!  I’m reaching out to let you know we’ve submitted an initial proposal to the City of Burnaby to explore the acquisition of one of their city-owned buildings for our provincial Filipino Cultural Centre.  And to request a meeting to discuss it further.

The building at 6515 Bonsor Ave is the old Firefighter’s Hall and is the same space that we successfully operated from May to September 2025 as a temporary Filipino Cultural Centre through a nominal lease between the Pinoy Festival Alliance and the City of Burnaby.  This three level building has features that include a banquet hall with a stage, numerous offices, a conference room and large restaurant.  It is in a highly accessible transit-friendly location in the heart of both Metro Vancouver and the region’s growing Filipino community.

We are now finalizing a proposal to the provincial government and the federal government for funding for the purchase of the building.

We have discussed this with our Filipino community leaders and they are in support – as such, we are confident that what we are proposing is a viable, realistic, cost-effective and sustainable plan for a provincial Filipino centre.

Thank you and again, we hope to meet with you at your convenience to share more details.

Also for your reference, attached is a copy of a Joint Statement signed by many Filipino community leaders regarding a Motion by Mayor Ken Sim to advance a Filipino cultural centre in a hotel on Main Street.  

Regards,

Paul Clemente

Chair 

Pinoy Festival Alliance