(2nd of 3 parts)
CALIFORNIA, USA -- What were the factors that pushed some moneyed and enterprising Filipinos to venture into the super market chain in Southern California?
At the time, when the first wave of Filipino immigrants landed in America, they were left with no choice but to scour other Asian stores, looking for similar commodities that they could buy and cook at home.
"With their arrival, began the struggle to find products that were sariling atin, meaning "truly ours", a statement culled from Seafood City's website said.
As an offshoot to this vacuum, the first Seafood City Super Market took shape at National City, California in 1989. The Seafood City Super Market in Carson is one of the several outlets that branched out to different cities in California.
Add to this the other nationalities who patronize Filipino products, not to mention the foods at the various restaurants where they could be seen with Filipino friends, enjoying the same recipes together.
It is short of saying that good food can win friends, too.
"If the Filipinos will only unite as one force during election, the candidates they’re going to support will surely win," Ildefonso Quibin explained, a former campaign manager of Mr. Fajardo and commissioner for veterans’ affairs in the city at that time.
And it's not only residents who buy food products here. In fact, many Filipinos from the neighboring cities do come over to buy their choices for a weekly consumption, too.
This writer had noticed that it's the camaraderie and togetherness that attract people to visit this melting pot in the South Bay area of Los Angeles.
This is not to mention the local Pinoy newspapers, which are given free to customers who wanted to keep abreast of the latest news at home.
Sometimes, it is a common belief that those who landed here many years ago, and then established their businesses first, were considered to have taken the advantage. And it is not surprising why many of them are still around doing the same business today.
Ms. Regina Roxas, one of the adult children of Mr. and Mrs. Pete Roxas, owners of the Manila Sunrise Restaurant, quickly explained that her parents' eatery outlet was set up in the early 70s.
That was the time when some were, perhaps, encouraged to emulate the setting up of their own restaurants that would cater to the discriminating needs of Filipino immigrants who first landed in the South Bay area.
This makes it as the pioneer of the restaurants here during that time. "We were the first one to set up a restaurant here," she said, while she was busy attending to some customers at lunch time.
According to her, Manila Sunrise, which also does catering services, has the edge considering its proximity to St. Philomena Catholic Church, where church-goers, comprising mostly of Filipino devotees, would often drop by to eat and at the same time, while away their time chatting among themselves.
A few feet away is Johnny's Kambingan Restaurant, which offers walk-in customers a variety of special delicacies that were traditionally favorites of Filipinos.
In the same building as the Kambingan's is the M. Lhuillier Money Remittance Service, where Filipinos can send their hard-earned money to their loved ones in an instant.
Another advantage is that its remittance fee is much cheaper compared to others in the area.
One of the known competitors is the U.S.-based Western Union branch which is located at the MBC Business Center.
MBC, also Filipino-owned, is engaged in selling health insurance, travel tours to the Philippines and other places, cellphones, vitamins and others.
A few minutes away is another branch of Western Union located at Angelito's Market, also a notary public service outlet. Aside from being a grocery store, Angelito's Market has a small eatery with two tables inside, which is open seven days a week.
There used to be three or four Western Union branches in Carson alone.
Unfortunately, the one being operated by the Mailbox Outlet, a one-stop shop for mail boxes' rental and shipping center, had ceased operations several months ago.
According to the operator, Western Union has become so strict in so far as customers' complaints are concerned.
What's the secret as to why most of the businesses are still around? Speaking for himself, Mr. Amorsito Sapida, a notary public, explained that the reason, perhaps, why his business still existing is because it is open seven days a week.
“In fact, I've been here for almost 30 years now," he said. According to him, the service fees paid for Western Union service are contributing a lot to my business.
He admitted that when his family landed in Carson in 1978, he immediately thought about putting a grocery store.
All he wanted then was to support his small family of wife and three daughters, who had to be supervised well.
"From my business, my children were able to finish college. They're all professionals now." he explained. (Randy Altarejos/PNA)
(This is the second installment of a three-part feature series of Randy Altarejos, former editor of the Philippine News Agency who is now based in the United States.)
