Accompanied by several members of the Manitoba Filipino Business Council, President Jon Reyes led an advance mission trip to the Philippines in partnership with the World Trade Centre Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. After a year of planning, it was time to get down to business as an intense meeting schedule was coordinated by our counterparts at the World Trade Centre Metro Manila.
Business is definitely more fun in the Philippines except when you’re stuck in traffic and trying to rush from meeting to meeting. The MFBC advance mission had several objectives which included identifying business opportunities for MFBC members and opening the door to a larger business mission in 2014. After meeting high calibre officials from several key industry associations and business groups, the outlook of a larger business mission during the first quarter of 2014 looks extremely promising.
Meetings with several industry groups left all MFBC member’s heads spinning with ideas. Not just for their own interests but potentially those of many MFBC members. The MFBC-WTC team met with the following groups in Manila: Philippine Retailers Association, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Manila (CanCHAM), Philippine Software Industry Association, Business Process Outsourcing Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Among the government groups that met with the MFBC included the Board of Investment (BOI), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Tourism Promotion Board, Center of International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM). Also part of the busy meeting schedule was a short visit to the Canadian Embassy and a special visit by Canadian Ambassador, Christopher Thornley.
Representing the World Trade Centre Winnipeg was Project Lead, Derek Earle. Making up the MFBC mission team was President, Jon Reyes (UPS Store, Kenaston Common); Vice-President Ginno Bains (Ginno’s Automotive); Darin Hoffman (Mosaic Funeral Chapels); Randy Viray (Viray Financial); Ron Cantiveros (Filipino Journal) and Damian Pili Jr. (Leo’s Autobody).
