Publisher's Note

Publisher’s Note
It was 22 years ago when I arrived in Canada and chose Calgary, Alberta to be my home. Leaving my family and friends behind, it was a new adventure for me to be in a new country without knowing anyone. That was the time I looked for a Filipino community paper and never found any, [...]
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Tig’s Corner

Patronized Your Own by: Tigs Tiglao

The present rise of business interest in our community is laudable. This was our dream when there were just a few of us around. What we are seeing today indeed bequeaths a happy feeling. We were disheartened for quite sometime for failing to keep pace with the cultural community’s march to progress. We envied others for being way ahead that there were even times when we doubted our collective will to accomplish.

Our community today evolves into another phase of existence. Our seniors are doing well. Our youth sector is not bad either as demonstrated from their talent in entertainment. They rank amongst the best not only locally but internationally as well. The middle working sector is starting to find its mark too. This is where community progress rides on. It is on this area where we have to pour out support more specially towards the business sector.

I was with a company of friends for lunch in a Filipino restaurant in Forest Lawn. It was in the middle of an ordinary week. I was not expecting that we have to wait for about fifteen minutes to have a table. The place was full to capacity. I was happy instead of being irked from waiting to perceive that a Filipino business was doing well.

We now have the number for Filipino businesses to thrive. The sudden influx of people from the homeland for the last five years makes it possible. We have been the fastest growing ethnic community for a while and there are word of mouth estimates that we have finally overtaken the Chinese as the number one in size in the city.

This is terrific for business. But we have to be mindful that population alone does not automatically entail to translate into success. It is only a prospected market. It still needs a lot of know-how, patience and understanding to convert it into asset. It is not wise to rely on ‘bayang magiliw’ spirit alone as the urging tool for patronage. Yes, it is an edge in competition, but business people should exercise care in quality, integrity and honesty in dealing with our community.

We are now on the right tract to claim our place in the sun. The good fortune will also be ours in due time. We are not still on par with others, but through proper attitude and conduct, we will be up there with the rest. It still needs a lot of work and teamwork.

This is where BCOCO, the business content of the Congress of Filipinos in Calgary (CFIC) comes in. It is a legal entity for our entrepreneurs to talk about their businesses and to find better ways in management. It is also a body to assist business people to initiatives and entitlement with proper sources for enhancement and improvement. It also promotes and determines the quality and integrity of Filipino establishments to our community. It is a part of the community’s leadership structure to strongly endorse and to encourage putting into action the Filipino First Policy.

The Filipino First Policy is not a blind endorsement. Our business establishments have to deserve it. This method is also to protect Filipino consumers and the leverage to demand quality goods and services. This process likewise rids off the fly by night operators and to protect our community members from cheat and fraud.

The Filipino First Policy is a balance between consumers and business. It is not obligatory. It is a common sense approach with leaning towards ’samahan’ system; that when condition is equal or even just a little bit the same, we give our ‘kababayan’ businesses the first chance. We have to remember that our progress as a community is connected to Filipino businesses. It is through their action that we prosper as a community and their inaction that we remain dormant. What happened then was a lesson and we learned from it.

We shall therefore walk a different route where a beautiful promise beacons us to achieve. Let’s adopt into ourselves the ‘pakisama’ system under the Filipino First Policy for the success of their shops, stores and trades are related as our own. The alimango syndrome is dead because we want it to remain dead. We accept no excuses nor allow barriers to hamper our way. We are determined to go onward to face the challenge because this is what Filipinos all deserve.

Tig’s Corner

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