Yukon Filipinos who send money back home hit by low loonie

Canada's sliding dollar is troublesome for many people, including those paying remittance to family members in their country of origin,overseas.

Yukon's large and growing Filipino community is definitely taking ahit, according to Marnelli Calantes, who arranges money transfers through her"Manila Express" kiosk in Whitehorse.

"They're not happy about what's happening to our money, it's getting lower and lower," Calantes said. "The money that we send, it's not enough.

"I think all Filipinos here in the Yukon are actually working three jobs, just to get enough money."

The territory's Filipino population has grown significantly over the last decade. According to 2011 census data, theFilipinolanguage ofTagalog was the fourth-most commonly spoken language in the Yukon, after English, French and German.

Many of those recent immigrants send about $500 per month back to family in the Philippines, Calantes said.

Remittance payments 'a must' for many

Christina Nerit works at a Whitehorse restaurantand has been asking her manager forextra hoursto help make ends meet. Like many Filipino immigrants, she feels a responsibility to send money to her elderly parents in the Philippinesbut thatmoney is not stretching as far as it used to.

"It's really hard, the conversion right now," Nerit said. "Most of us, we're really supporting families back home. Of course, they need something for shelter, for food, to pay electricity bills."

"It's our gratitude to our parentsit's a must that we send money back home."

Nerit said she knows that many people are affected by the low dollar, and shehopes things turn around soon.

"For now, all we have to do is just be patient, and persevere more, and work hard," she said.