pinoytimes.ca » Business

Consul-General Asuque challenges PBSA officers to serve as conduit in promoting more PH products to Canada

nenette — Sat, 28 Jul 2018 14:45:06 +0000

EDMONTON, Alberta — Philippine Consul-General Gilberto Asuque challenged officers of the newly-formed Philippine Business Society of Alberta (PBSA) to serve as a conduit to Philippine Department of the Trade and Industry’s senior trade commissioner to Canada, Maria Roseni Alvero.

Asuque said this is an opportunity for Filipino entrepreneurs in Alberta to promote Philippine products to Canada after the Alberta government declared June as Philippine Heritage Month.

The Philippines has popular products like mangoes and bananas which have been in high demand in Japan for many years aside from its famous tuna and other agricultural products.

He said in his recent talk with Alvero, the Philippines has manufacturing products that can also be promoted in Canada.

The Calgary-based Consul General said that with the Heritage Month celebrations scheduled every year, it is about time for both business leaders in Edmonton and Calgary to conduct activities that would support their businesses and make it grow.

Asuque said that once agreements are forged, more business meetings can be organized and joint ventures can be sealed.

PBSA president Celso Andrade said that they will work side by side with various partners and reach out to others.

Asuque formally inducted the officers led by Andrade, vice-president Bayani Alcantara, treasurers Marjorie Newman and Resty Reyes, and other members of the board, or their representatives, on Sunday afternoon, June 17, at the Manila Grill. The society’s secretary Virgie Sumalinog is currently out of the country.

Witnessing the ceremony were Philippine ambassador Petronila Garcia, former honorary consul Esmeralda Agbulos and family members of the PBSA officers.(Moses Billacura)

Philippine Consul-General Gilberto Asuque(extreme left) inducted the new officers and board of directors of the Philippine Business Society of Alberta (PBSA), June 17, at the Manila Grill restaurant in Edmonton.(Photo by Moses Billacura)

“Flavours of the Philippines” In-Store Promotion marks the Philippine Heritage Day in Calgary

nenette — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 02:47:18 +0000

10 June 2018, Calgary, Alberta – Following a very successful kick-off in Vancouver, the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), brought the “Flavours of the Philippines” In-Store Promotion to T&T Supermarket in Pacific Place Mall, Calgary, Alberta from June 8 to 10, 2018.

The event, considered to be a centerpiece trade and cultural program with the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary and the Department of Tourism in San Francisco, aims to reconnect Filipino-Canadians with the motherland in time with the celebration of the anniversary of Philippine Independence, all while increasing consumer level awareness and appreciation for Philippine food products among Canadian consumers.

The festivities all weekend long with colourful pallet displays, food tasting stations featuring a variety of Philippine food products, cooking demonstrations of delicious Filipino dishes, and big discounts on popular Filipino products, inviting T&T Supermarket shoppers to have a taste of the diverse flavours of the Philippines.

The Opening Ceremony on June 9 was a joyous celebration of Philippine culture, food, and the Filipino-Canadian community in Calgary. Attendees were treated to lively music and a vibrant display of Filipino talent with cultural performances by the Philippine Cultural Center Foundation.

Hon. Consul General Gilberto Asuque welcome the Filipino-Canadian and mainstream community in Calgary to the event.

“It is very timely to showcase the quality of Filipino brands to celebrate our Filipino Heritage in time with the Independence Day,” Senior Trade Commissioner Maria Roseni M. Alvero said, “We hope that this event will contribute in raising the popularity of Philippine cuisine along the levels enjoyed by other internationally accepted Asian cuisine, ultimately towards increasing the level of Filipino food exports into Canada.”

“Flavours of the Philippines” at T&T Supermarket is the second of a series of In-Store Promotion events in Canada spearheaded by DTI led by Senior Trade Commissioner Alvero this year, following an In-Store Promotion at the PriceSmart Supermarket in Richmond, British Columbia.

Tale of two cities: Edmonton jobless rate down, Calgary’s up

nenette — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 16:14:47 +0000

The unemployment dropped for Alberta and Edmonton last month, but rose slightly in Calgary, new data shows. SUNMEDIA

The unemployment rate in Edmonton continued its long-term decline in March, but Calgary’s jobless figure rose for a fourth month, the latest Statistics Canada data shows.

In Edmonton, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down last month to 6.7 per cent from 6.9 per cent in February, while in Calgary the rate went up to 8.2 per cent from 7.9 per cent, according to figures released Friday.

At the same time, Alberta’s overall jobless level dropped slightly to 6.7 per cent, part of a major improvement in the economy that has seen provincial unemployment fall from a peak of nine per cent in fall 2016.

The two big cities have seen unemployment shrink by at least one percentage point since last March.

“Between March 2017 and March 2018, (Alberta’s) full-time employment increased by 46,400, and overall employment increased by 40,500. The number of unemployed Albertans decreased by 49,100 over the same period,” provincial labour-force highlights say.

The national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.8 per cent, Statistics Canada reported.

Source: http://edmontonjournal.com

What you need to know when building a home as a new Canadian

nenette — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 01:17:38 +0000

Many immigrants move to Canada and Alberta to start their new life, in hopes of achieving the ‘Canadian Dream.’ When moving to a new country, newcomers are often faced with a variety of exciting opportunities and new challenges, and may find themselves in unfamiliar situations, where processes differ from those in their home country.

One such instance that can prove to be a challenge to many newcomers is building a new home.

From different styles and types of homes, building methods and housing features, to applying for a mortgage, the language barrier and ensuring your home is best laid out to meet your cultural needs and preferences, building the perfect home can be a confusing process.

The best way for newcomers to navigate these challenges is to find a reputable home builder with the correct information, tools and customer service focus that will help you at every step of the home building journey and to ensure your building experience is as straightforward and smooth as possible.

One such homebuilder is Jayman BUILT (Jayman), who is focused on providing newcomers in Calgary, Edmonton and surrounding communities with the resources and information they need to build a house that fits their needs.

Nishi Saraswat, area sales manager for Jayman BUILT and Cornerstone Court Sales Centre, believes that the home building process should be an ongoing conversation between a homebuilder and the client and that at Jayman, they are not only trying to sell their clients a home, but trying to educate them about the process at the same time.

We asked Saraswat what newcomers should know when looking to build a new home and how Jayman BUILT can help them with the process. Here’s what she told us:

Q: When someone new to Canada is looking to build a home, what is the number one challenge they face?

New Canadians will often notice the different building methods in Canada, compared to their home country, as well as different home features that they may not have known existed. At Jayman, we strive to help educate first-time homebuilders and newcomers about the building process and will always give buyers the time they need to ensure that they feel comfortable with their journey to a new home purchase.

Q: What questions should newcomers be asking their homebuilder?

Newcomers should not be afraid to bring any questions or concerns to their homebuilders. If English is not the homebuyer’s first language, they should ask their homebuilder if they provide any language support services, to ensure that they are fully understanding their purchasing options.

Newcomers should also ask their builder what is included in their home, ‘behind the scenes’ – components such as roofing, insulation, heating, cooling, etc. – that they may not immediately be aware of, especially if the Canadian climate differs from their home country. Jayman encourages all of their purchasers to check and compare the prices and features of a home with other homebuilders for what they will get for the same purchase price.

Another important question to ask your builder is the cost to build a home as you see it in the show home, compared to what the pricing of the home is in the brochure. It can often cost as much as $100,000 more to build the features you see in a show home, compared to the home features outlined in a brochure. With Jayman BUILT homes, what you see is what you get. We ensure that our show home pricing is clearly marked, so you can see that it is affordable and achievable.

Q: If language is a barrier, especially when dealing with the complexities of a home purchase, what is the best thing to do?

As mentioned, newcomers shouldn’t be afraid to ask their homebuilder for language support – the builder may have a resource that they can bring in to help translate. Jayman offers this support to customers when available and also has a number of employees from diverse backgrounds who are able to assist. We also recommend bringing family members who are comfortable in both languages to help explain terms to you. Finally, you should ask to have details written out, so that you can take them away to consider when you have more time to read and process the information, or so that you can take them to a translation resource for support.

Q: What are some of the most common needs from the new Canadian demographic when looking to build a home?

Some of the trends and buying needs we see from this demographic are spaces to house multiple generations or family units; larger kitchens with lots of counter space for family gatherings; the ability to build and purchase multiple homes within the same community; and the need for a variety of price point options within the same community to make a purchase possible.

Q: How does Jayman customize its homes based on cultural needs and preferences? For example, Filipinos are very family-oriented and often host large gatherings with lots of food. What can Jayman do to build a home for a Filipino family with this lifestyle in mind?

Many of our home floor plans offer large kitchen islands with an open floor plan between the kitchen and the living room. This allows for larger family gatherings with extended table and counter space for hosting. We also offer main floor bedrooms, secondary suites and larger-count bedroom floorplans for families with multiple generations or family units in the same household. As well, we offer opportunities to customize the home during the build phase by placing items of cultural significance in the walls to connect the family to their new dwelling.

Q: What is the incentive for newcomers to build a new home, instead of renting a house?

One of the main advantages of building a new home is that it is an investment. Home owners are paying and investing in themselves, instead of paying rent to someone else. There is also the opportunity for homeowners to build a home with a secondary suite, which they in turn can rent out for extra income. Another advantage of building a home is that buyers can customize and build a home that best reflects their family’s needs.

Q: How does Jayman help newcomers who are not yet in the workforce qualify for a mortgage?

The Jayman Financial mortgage team can work with newcomers and help to match them with lenders who are open to creative financing solutions, such as using gift money as a down payment, or qualifying for a mortgage through multiple family members.

Q: Do you work with banks that provide preferred mortgage rates to your clients?

Jayman Financial is a lender-neutral mortgage broker that works with homebuyers to find the right lender and the right mortgage product for their needs. Due to the volume of homebuyers Jayman works with, we often get the best rates from lenders, which could not be accessed if a purchaser went to the lenders directly.

Q: Does Jayman provide additional services to help its customers move from their previous home to a new Jayman BUILT home?

Yes, Jayman is a full-service business. We provide Jayman Realty services, which will help buyers list and sell a former home; and Jayman Financial services, which will help buyers locate and recommend the best mortgage product for the new home. We also provide a free moving truck, to help buyers save the cost of transport within Calgary and Edmonton. These services can help newcomers who may have rented or bought a used home upon arrival in Canada, but are looking to establish roots and build their own perfect home.

Q: What are the current house types and styles that Jayman offers?

Depending on the community, Jayman BUILT offers semi-detached homes, laned homes, single and double-garage front drive, and rear-attached garage homes. For more information on Jayman BUILT homes, visit www.jayman.com or stop by a sales centre to learn more.

Q: Many new Albertans are looking for employment when they first move here. Does Jayman look to hire Temporary Foreign Workers or new immigrants?

Jayman BUILT is an equal-opportunity employer, who looks for diverse employee backgrounds, especially within our sales team. We encourage anyone who feels that they have something unique to offer – in skills, language or cultural understanding – to talk to our sales managers in the community they are interested in, to learn about upcoming opportunities.

Sizzlin Suteki, the latest food craze in town!

nenette — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 09:10:48 +0000

by C.K.

Congratulations to the owners of a brand new Japanese fast food spot Sizzlin’ Suteki on their grand opening last May 28, 2017. After a month of renovations on the former location of Mama Nita’s Binalot, a new food craze is now ready to serve everyone in Calgary. It has a brighter space and the open view of the galley kitchen behind the front counter which is nice that it is visible for the patrons to see that their food is done in an orderly manner; not unlike other restaurants where you cannot see what’s happening in the kitchen.

Their menu is an assortment of combinations on what you want to eat for a dish. You can order rice with a choice of protein (beef, salmon, shrimp, chicken or tofu) or veggies and bean sprouts with steak, salmon, teriyaki chicken or two burger patties. Prices range from $12.99 to $17.99. There were salad, miso soup, gyoza, karaage, takoyaki and spring roll sides for under $3 each as well.

So for a different food experience come and visit Sizzlin’ Suteki at 1919 31 St SE Calgary. It is not only budget friendly but the food is really something you must give is a try. Watch out for other locations soon to open in Calgary and Edmonton.

Again, big congratulations to the brains behind Sizzlin Suteki especially to Chef Ricky Asuncion and his wife Crystal Asuncion. Again, nothing beats the one who came up with the very first of it’s kind in the food business.

Mama Nita’s Boodle Fight goes to Barrio Fiesta

nenette — Sun, 21 May 2017 16:13:53 +0000

It’s finally here…….the collaboration of Mama Nita’s boodle fight is now at Barrio Fiesta on 68th and Memorial. We might miss the former location of Mama Nita’s but Barrio Fiesta will carry on their binalot and boodle fights in a much bigger location . The other location is being renovated to bring another concept by Chef Ricky and will be opening soon sometime this May 2017.

Barrio Fiesta will still carry on with their regular menu together with their boodle fight menu. You can also book a private function at Barrio Fiesta and they can accomodate 150 people for birthdays, christenings, wedding receptions and other functions where you have excellent food service and bigger than some other Filipino restaurants.

So whatever boodle fight menu from Mama Nita’s will be seen at Barrio Fiesta. Congratulations to Mama Vi and her staff for takig over this unique concept of boodle fight.So what are you waiting for? For big groups you can book your reservations call (403) 272-2970 and you can find them at 179-6800 Memorial Drive NE Calgary, AB, Canada T2A 6V3.

PNB Global Remit held PNB Centennial and PAL 75TH Anniversary raffle

nenette — Sat, 22 Apr 2017 16:19:41 +0000

The awarding of prizes for the winners of the recently concluded PNB Centennial and PAL 75th Anniversary Raffle was held at the Manila Convenience Store on Friday, Match 17, 2017 to coincide with the opening of their new wing for remittance and travel business.

The prizes were presented with the store owner, Ms. Joy Tajanlangit. Below are the names of the three winners corresponding to the pictures attached (from left to right):

1. Edilson Tuazon- so thankful because he is about to bring the family over since his immigration papers were recently approved

2. Florelyn S. Estayo- just came back from the Phil. recently to attend the funeral of a relative; with this prize, she will definitely come home this time to enjoy

3. Resel O. Nieva- first time remitter in October 2016, as the family just migrated to Canada last September 2016; the luckiest winner in the draw

Contributed by:

Herbert Rellosa

PNBRCC South Alberta

Tel no. (587) 969-8762

[email protected]

Congratulations to Greatway Financial on their 1st National Convention

nenette — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 17:16:49 +0000

Greatway Financial was founded inDecember 2010 by none other that its CEO Mr. Marlon Antonio, who was also the recipient of Pinoy Times Most Outstanding Business Person of the Year 2015. Greatway Financial is the fastest growing MGA who started with 26 advisors and now has over 1,500 advisors all over Canada and this is made possible by its CEO and lead mentor, Mr. Marlon Antonio.

Mr. Marlon Antonio lives by Greatway Financial Inc. mission – we believe family must come first. We’re dedicated to helping many families by providing financial education and services that will enhance their financial situation. We also provide opportun, ities, a positive environment and an exceptional business system to ensure our advisors success in their practice. We wish to establish a relationship with our clients that will serve their best interests and achieve their financial goals. In addition, we desire to build successful partnerships with advisors that support their professional and personal growth.

Greatway Financial First National Convention was held last July 22-24, 2016 at the Ramada Hotel in Calgary and was attended by over 500 advisors from Saskatchewan, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Alberta. It was indeed a very successful event and more power to Mr. Marlon Antonio and to the entire Greatway Financial family all over Canada!

Once Upon a Filipino Food Truck

nenette — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 17:36:45 +0000

Pinoy Pride is the name given to this food truck. It is the first and only Filipino food truck in Calgary, Alberta. Although, it is named as such this food truck is truly a product of humility and hard work by a husband and wife team Pol and Daisy and their family and friends who supported them along the way. Daisy came as a TFW about 10 years ago and her family followed afterwards. The idea of starting a food business has always been in our minds since we became residents of Canada we have been searching and praying for the right business and we saw the opportunity in the growing mobile restaurant business. We went to check if there are any Filipino food trucks in Calgary and there was none! This made us so excited. We finally found the right time and right food business to call ours. Although, we are not chefs or cooks by formal education we are genuinely Filipino food lovers. We learned how to cook by firsthand experience from our parents and relatives from the Philippines and I call it direct transfer of culture and passion. We also belong to families that run their own family businesses back home.

Managing this food truck especially at a very early stage has been both challenging and fulfilling. And by God’s grace and a lot of great supporters it took off the ground. Our ultimate goal is to bring and share the best of Filipino culture through our love of Pinoy food to our kababayans and of course to our Canadian brothers. We also painted our truck to symbolize our Philippine flag and as colorful, happy and vibrant like us Pinoys and the flower art is actually Sampaguita our national flower, simple, small but beautiful flower with a very powerful and irresistible scent that will captivate you the way we want to captivate you with our cooking.

So far, we are very busy and excited serving our food to our customers almost every day and and we are receiving great feedbacks and lots of happy returning costumers from all nations not just Filipinos and this makes us even more humbled.

I hope our fellow kababayans in Calgary can say that this is their Pinoy Pride Food Truck and to share the Filipino joy and culture that we are proud of to others. and I hope that you will support our very own Pinoy businesses in Calgary and in Canada. God bless! Mabuhay!

Come check us at the following events and be a part of our fun and exciting Pinoy Pride days with great tasting Filipino food and new friends. Pwede pong tumambay sa harap ng truck at kumain at mag selfie din pag my time! Salamat po!

Calgary Night Market 2016

June 3&24,July 8 & 29,Aug 5&26,Sept 9 at Central Memorial Park downtown Calgary 4:00-10:00 PM

June 11-12 at Edmonton Filipino Fiesta 2016

June 25 at 2^nd Annual Outdoor Market at EAU CLAIRE 12:00-9:30 PM

On our regular days Pinoy Pride is serving you favorite Pinoy food at Chinook C-train station

And More! Please like us on facebook Pinoy Pride Food Truck: https://www.facebook.com/Pinoy-Pride-Food-Truck-1662227974061717/

PINOY PRIDE FOOD TRUCK

“Championing The Filipino Cuisine! ‘

403 471 5414

CBC Foot Products Proudly Serving Calgary, AB since 1982

nenette — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 09:37:53 +0000

CUSTOM-MADE ORTHOTICS- ORTHOPEDIC SHOES- COMPRESSION HOSIERY

The Beginning…

Our story began in 1978, when Lance Colins, the founder of CBC Foot Products was introduced to custom-made orthotics. After he studied orthotics under Dr. George Alznner, he immediately knew he had discovered his passion and focus. With the full support of his loving wife, Cindey Colins, who he has been happily married to since 1962, he made this pursuit a lifelong commitment to her, his career and finally, his patients.

Pursuit of quality…

With ingenuity and innovation Lance Colins started to develop an orthotic mould inspired by his mentor, Dr. George Alznner in 1978. After many years of trial and error, he obtained a patent on his own orthotic called The Shoemate® Orthotic (TMA467,541 File Number 780182) in 1982. CBC Foot Products only use high quality materials for our custom-made orthotics:

High-tech semi-rigid plastic from Canada

Postings; a composite of cork and rubber from France

Top covers; plastazote, lunairflex and bocklite from Europe and United States of America

Combination of different material densities and cushion to accommodate each individuals’ specific foot function

Continuation of the journey…

Fast forward to 2016, 34 years since the conception of The Shoemate® Orthotic, our roots run deep within our global community because of our lifelong commitment to our products and patients. Lance Colins named his aspiring company in 1982 after his wife’s monogram C.B.C. because she was his driving force to succeed. At CBC Foot Products, we have spent over 34 years perfecting and refining our custom-made orthotics, we stand behind our methodology and The Shoemate® Orthotic 100% that we offer lifetime guarantee on the product and service. To date, we have helped the quality of life for over 200,000 patients globally and will continue to make a difference to many more.

Who can benefit from The Shoemate® Orthotic? Your feet should never hurt!

Your feet are a complex system of 52 bones, 66 joints, 214 ligaments and 38 tendons and muscles. Even the smallest imbalance in your feet can cause pain. Left untreated, chronic foot pain can prevent you from leading the active lifestyle you desire.

The most common types of foot pain that can result from poor foot function are:

Plantar Fasciitis (Arch pain)

Achilles Tendonitis (Rear foot pain)

Heel Spurs (Heel pain)

Bunion Pain (Big toe pain)

Your feet have a direct impact on the rest of your body. Like the foundation of a house, your feet support the weight of everything above them. When a small problem develops in your feet, the subtle changes in the way you walk will cause a chain reaction of adjustments in your posture and walking mechanics. These changes can put stress on joints higher up in your body and lead to more serious problems such as foot pain, knee pain, hip pain and back pain.

Our custom-made orthotics help rebalance your feet, reducing pain and discomfort by enhancing your body’s natural movements.

Stop by our local CBC Foot Products Clinic and Lab for a free foot assessment or let us come to you, with our mobile orthodontic care service.