FPACC's 25th Anniversary
The Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce (FPACC) is proud to be celebrating 25 years of service!
Mission Statement
To grow and strengthen our network of local and regional Filipino chambers of commerce by promoting and connecting their members to local and international business opportunities.
Goals
- Cultivate business leadership (leadership retreat, training, webinars)
- Promote economic development (resources to help grow and market your business)
- Foster international trade (bi-national business conference, trade missions).
The Federation
The Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce, Inc. (FPACC) continues to set the standard of building business excellence and responsible business leadership for Filipino Americans as it embarks on its 25th year of service.
FPACC, affectionately called “The Federation” by its members, is a coalition of well-established Filipino-American Chambers of Commerce in the United States.
About Us
Building upon its bi-national (Philippine-American) platform, the federation is now looking at catapulting its reach to a global stage to include all Filipino business diasporas worldwide, a vision stated by its president, Marie Cunning, during FPACC’s November 2017 bi-national trade conference and leadership elections in Arizona.
National President’s Message
As FPACC National President, I truly look forward to expanding the bridge building of the Federation with all its chapter members, PCCI and now, in addition our Mexican, Australian & European Partners. I also believe in providing economic empowerment to the next generation of entrepreneurs–a legacy of my administration and a project close to my heart,YBU (Young Business United). As President of FPACC, I have cultivated an image of Business Entrepreneurs with a heart, or social entrepreneurship and we will continue to fund medical missions and volunteer our time in collaboration with Lions International and One World Institute
This July, 2021 at our FPACC International Summit in Mexico, I hope to see the plans for an FPACC University and the Philippine Village take root in the Monterrey Peninsula. This will be the next legacy of the Federation.
We need to constantly update our MOU’s with entities such as PCCI-PUBC, PEZA, SBMA, AUNCC , SBA and coming soon our MOU with Philippine National Bank (PNB). Other upcoming legacy projects would be our : 1)E-Commerce store 2) 21-st century worthy new and improved interactive website for FPACC and all our chamber members, 3) Our project to champion and promote the Philippine indigenous handicraft industry, 4)our projects to support the underserved and underfunded Philippine farmers thru our agribusiness initiatives in bamboo, cacao and avocado. 5) The creation of our Global Funding Group, LLC, the for-profit arm of the Federation geared specifically to raise corporate and private funding for all FPACC supported initiatives. 6) work on an MOU with MIMAROPA to support the Philippines’ environmental projects.
Marie Cunning
National President, FPACC (Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce)
And finally, as your President, my ultimate vision is to bring the Federation to the forefront and hand in hand with our esteemed peers in the Philippines PCCI and PUBC, in Mexico, Canada, Australia and Europe, We intend to further the proliferation and growth and success of Filipino businesses internationally. We need to institute capacity building within the Federation so that every chapter member, it’s officers as well as members will be able to achieve their goals as business leaders.
Mabuhay FPACC!
Maraming Salamat Po
FPACC Through The Years
Growing US-Philippines Trade and Commerce is FPACC’s cornerstone program and has been a hallmark success story for the Federation. The super trade mission put together by the Federation in October 2016 in collaboration with the PCCI reached a record breaking $900 Million+ (USD) in trade partnership agreements between the B2B (business-to-business) participants from both countries. With the Philippine homeland’s explosive growth in global economic stature, new business opportunities and investments channels are opened for Filipinos both at home and abroad.
Greetings on 25th Anniversary of FPACC
Yolanda Stern
FPACC Founder
As we celebrate our 25th year in existence, we honor the pioneers who shared the vision of a bi-national mission to promote, trade, goodwill, commerce, and other mutually beneficial projects between the Philippines and our adopted country, the United States. The ten Vice Presidents of the Standing Committees and their board were Edgardo Orpina, Information Systems; Dennis Villanueva, Trade & Investments; Lito Serrano, Finance; Faith McCarthy, Tourism; Isidro Protacio, Public Relations; Ludovico Villanueva, Programs; Fred Navarro, Membership; Romy Pangilinanan, Governmental Affairs; Clem Apeles, Business Development; Tess Martin, National Convention. Spearheaded by the strength of 23 chapters from the California Coalition, we convened in Washington DC in November 1996 for our first election. The following year we held a massive International Trade Show attended by 98 companies from the Philippines and over 100 companies from our chapters at the South San Francisco Convention Center. To honor our bi-national commitment, President Fidel Ramos graced our event as he no less encouraged such a federation for decades. We must also honor our past presidents namely, Jaime Lim-Oregon; Ethel Mercado, Texas; and cheer on our current president Marie Cunning, Arizona and her officers.
Eighteen years ago, in Februrary 2003, the Citizenship Retention Act that became law was one of the most far impacting missions I undertook with help from FPACC, the Globe and Jose Molano Jr. of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas and 99% of the Philippine legislature. It showed me a world of possibilities if we all take an interest in common issues that impact all of us. I became the first dual citizen under that law along with Ed Orpina. But the ever-changing world driven by digital transformation, offers even more exciting opportunities to drive our common interests faster, wider, and smarter. We must persevere in leading the way as we prepare a vibrant generation to maintain ties that offer vehicles for a future that matters – particularly in food for the table; education for the underprivileged; nutrition and health initiatives for the poor. Investments in these areas make satisfactory returns.
So I wish the FPACC a long life of selfless service and a minute of silence to those who passed away. CHEERS and JUST DO!
Yolanda Stern
FPACC Founder
