Census: Number of Tagalog speakers in several Canadian provinces increasing

The number of people who speak Tagalog in at least three Canadian provinces  increased last year, according to a report on CBC News citing Statistics Canada.

The report said the number of people speaking Tagalog at home rose 42.3 per cent in Manitoba, 123.1 percent in Saskatchewan and 68.3 percent in Alberta.

Statistics Canada also showed that a total of 431,385 people — 178,575 males and 252,810 females — consider Filipino their mother tongue in the whole Canada while 213,790 — 96,240 males and 117,560 females — speak Filipino the most at home.

Overall, 510,425 people or 1.5 percent of Canada's population speaks Filipino, it said.

Rene Houle, a senior analyst at Statistics Canada, told CBC Manitoba that greater immigration from the Philippines helped increase the number of Tagalog speakers in the country.

Houle added that the national program that allows "provinces to select their economic immigrants has contributed to the increase" These provinces include Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Yukon.

Immigration lawyer Reis Pagtakhan said the rise in the use of Filipino helps the Filipino community "maintain their connection to home."

Pagtakhan added that the steadily growing rate of immigration is also driving factor for Canada's economy. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News