 He
is widely known as “Butch Dulay” and has been recognized as a pioneer
entrepreneur in the local Filipino community in
Vancouver
. Butch and his wife Virgie, a nurse, were the first in
British Columbia
to open a Filipino Store called “Fiesta Filipina” in 1972 on
Cambie Street
and
West 17th Avenue
in
Vancouver
. The store, which continued operating until 1983, carried dry, canned and
frozen foods imported from the
Philippines
, handicraft products and fresh vegetables. It became a popular meeting
place for Filipinos.
In 1984, Butch helped
his family open another Filipino store called Presyong Palengke.
Then, in 1986, in answer to the need of Filipino-Canadians to send their
gifts to families in the
Philippines
, he opened another business called Professional Cargo Services
International Ltd. With his slogan “Garantisadong Aabot,’ Professional
Cargo shipped containers of balikbayan boxes to the
Philippines
for delivery to
Manila
and various points of the country. At the peak of its business,
Professional Cargo was sending an average of 12,000 boxes every year to
the
Philippines
. It still remains in active operation and currently carries the
distinction as the longest-surviving Filipino-owned door-to-door cargo
enterprise in Greater Vancouver. Aside from his cargo business, Butch also
operates a money remittance company called Pera Padala that has a tie-up
and working arrangements with the Development Bank of the
Philippines
and the Philippine Postal Savings Bank.
Butch Dulay is a very
prominent figure in the local Filipino community. He was former president
of the Filipino Association in British Columbia (FABC), the YMCA
Philippine Service Club, the Philippine Day Confederation (sponsor of the
annual Philippine Festival), and the Philippine Centennial Commission
(Vancouver). He was a charter member of the Knights of Columbus, St.
Joseph Parish, former director and member of the Philippine Golf
Association, Circulo Pampangueno, the Pangasinan-Ilocano Civic
Association, the Philippines-Canada Trade Council. and the
Vancouver/Oakridge Lion’s Club. He is also politically active,
being the chairman of Kaibigan ni Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (KGMA) in
Vancouver
since 2000.
Butch travels
frequently to the
Philippines
to attend to Professional Cargo’s delivery and brokerage business in
Manila
and other deals that require his personal attention. He is a golf
enthusiast and treasures a souvenir photo showing him playing golf with
former President Fidel V. Ramos.
Butch was born in
San Fernando
, Pampanga on January 16, 1946. He graduated from the Far Eastern
University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree. He was a
member of the university’s folk dance troupe in
Manila
and the Philippine Heritage Dance Troupe in
Vancouver
in the late 70’s, performing for various private groups and
organizations as part of its fund-raising efforts to support YMCA
development projects for the poor in the
Philippines
.
He is married to the
former Virgie Caspellan of
Manila
with whom he has three grown–up daughters: Michelle, Cheryl and Rhona. -
LBC
Professional Cargo
Services
#140-11780 River Rd.
,
Richmond
, B.C.
Toll Free Num.: 1-877-977-3822
Tel: (604) 278-9691
Telefax: (604) 278-5694
|
