With the growing population of the Filipino community, Filipino small businesses are on the rise. In some areas there are at least 9 or 10 Filipino establishments serving the community side by side. And you don’t have to travel far to find essential business such as an insurance company, grocery, bakery, beauty salon, travel agency, money remittance office, as well as dental and medical clinics that are owned and operated by Filipino-Canadians. One might call this intermingled area a sort of a ‘Filipino town.’
Their clientele is growing leaps and bounds despite the competition with other ethnic groups. And through this microcosm of Filipino businesses, the officers and members of the Manitoba Filipino Business Council, Inc. was organized to address the needs of Filipino businesses.
“I think the role of MFBC is to open our business into a much larger market, to penetrate into the mainstream of doing business. And in so doing, we would like to encourage our kababayans to work hard identifying their needs,” says Jon Reyes, president and owner of UPS Kenaston operation. “This council will serve as the clearing house to make the small business as a real engine of the Canadian economy.”
Organized in March 2010, and officially incorporated in August of the same year, MFBC has enjoined young Filipino entrepreneurs and has been involved in raising up the concerns of small businesses in general. “Our primary mandate is to serve our Filipino businesses and at the same time, to have a a strong connection with other ethnic groups,” Reyes added.
As statistics reveal, in the year 2017, the market demographics will change to at least two-thirds of the population that will be composed of those individuals coming from Asia. “We are in a position to plan our management and marketing strategy to address the changes in consumer patterns. And I think, with the aggressiveness of my officers and members, MFBC can be a major factor to have an active participation in the market share,” Reyes points out.
On April 20th MFBC will be spending the day with campaigning federal candidates in a forum that seeks to address the needs and roles of small businesses in general. It will be held at Canad Inns Garden City from 7 to 9 p.m.. The three candidates for the federal election have been invited, namely, Kevin Lamoureux of the Liberals, Rebecca Blaikie of the NDP and Ann Matejicka of the Conservatives. Resource speakers have also been invited to speak about the relevance of small businesses in the Canadian economy, while Derek Hird will act as the moderator.
On hand will be the MFBC officers led by Jon Reyes, MFBC President, as well as Rod E. Cantiveros of the Filipino Journal, adviser.
The forum is open to the public however you must register as capacity is limited. Please register by e-mailing your name, company name, address, phone number and e-mail address to: register@mfbc.ca. MFBC members will have priority. Registration is due on April 18, 2011.
