LA Buzz with Van Dichoso
“Lights, Camera, Business! The Pivotal Role of Entrepreneurs in Philippine-American Trade and Investments” was the conference theme of the Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce (FPACC) 3-day conference last November 9, 2013 at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Los Angeles. Conference delegates and guests from chambers of commerce representing cities from across the U.S. and the Philippines converged for educational information exchange, networking, and business opportunities.
The event was capped off by an elegant dinner and awards ceremony gala whose VIP guest lists included Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, United States Congressman Ed Royce, Senator Leland Yee, Consul General of the Philippines Maria Helen Barber de la Vega, and City of Carson Mayor Jim Dear. Press and TV media (including ABS-CBN, Fil-Am TV, and FanTV’s “La Buzz with Van Dichoso” with Philipp Harth and FanTV host Janelle Logrono) also converged on the gala floor to witness the “Who’s Who” and celebrities in business.
The upbeat and positive mood of the gala was only dampened by the saddening news of the destruction of Typhoon Haiyan (the strongest typhoon in recorded history) that struck the day before. Instead of celebrating, attendees thought about their mother country, families and relatives back home. As one of the gala’s scheduled keynote speaker, Ambassador Cuisia highlighted the international recovery and the donation efforts under way during his speech.
On another front, I spoke with U.S. Congressman Ed Royce who has recently introduced the “Fraudulent Overseas Recruitment and Trafficking Elimination Act of 2013”. He tells the story of a Filipina human trafficking victim Angela Guanzon who was promised a good job in the U.S. When she accepted, she was stripped of her passport and was forced into labor working 18-hour days at a Los Angeles retirement home to pay off $12,000 that the traffickers demanded. Such disturbing stories of abduction in the Philippines have thwarted the Congressman into becoming a crusade and ally of the Filipino people.
And on a more positive note, California State Senator Leland Yee presented FPACC’s “2013 Businessman of the Year Award” to Van Dichoso, CPA and wife Dr. Marilou Dichoso, MD of the “Dichoso Group of Companies”. The Dichosos symbolically shared the award to all the successful Filipino businesses across the country because – to echo the words of the Senator – it is small businesses that drive the economy and provide hope. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) defines small businesses as having less than 500 employees who in the aggregate, contribute to more than 50% of GDP and private employment.
Van and Marilou Dichoso wish to thank Mary Ann Omega, President of the Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce of LA and the board for this prestigious award. Congratulations to the LA chapter for a very successful convention.to echo the words of the Senator – it is small businesses like ours who drive the economy with employment and hope. According to the US Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses with less than 500 employees account for more than half of GDP and private employment.to echo the words of the Senator – it is small businesses like ours who drive the economy with employment and hope. According to the US Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses with less than 500 employees account for more than half of GDP and private employment.
Van Dichoso, CPA is one of SoCal’s business celebrities with accounting & real estate offices in Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, and Glendale. For more information, visit his website at:http://www.dichosoandcompany.com.
The event was capped off by an elegant dinner and awards ceremony gala whose VIP guest lists included Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, United States Congressman Ed Royce, Senator Leland Yee, Consul General of the Philippines Maria Helen Barber de la Vega, and City of Carson Mayor Jim Dear. Press and TV media (including ABS-CBN, Fil-Am TV, and FanTV’s “La Buzz with Van Dichoso” with Philipp Harth and FanTV host Janelle Logrono) also converged on the gala floor to witness the “Who’s Who” and celebrities in business.
The upbeat and positive mood of the gala was only dampened by the saddening news of the destruction of Typhoon Haiyan (the strongest typhoon in recorded history) that struck the day before. Instead of celebrating, attendees thought about their mother country, families and relatives back home. As one of the gala’s scheduled keynote speaker, Ambassador Cuisia highlighted the international recovery and the donation efforts under way during his speech.
On another front, I spoke with U.S. Congressman Ed Royce who has recently introduced the “Fraudulent Overseas Recruitment and Trafficking Elimination Act of 2013”. He tells the story of a Filipina human trafficking victim Angela Guanzon who was promised a good job in the U.S. When she accepted, she was stripped of her passport and was forced into labor working 18-hour days at a Los Angeles retirement home to pay off $12,000 that the traffickers demanded. Such disturbing stories of abduction in the Philippines have thwarted the Congressman into becoming a crusade and ally of the Filipino people.
And on a more positive note, California State Senator Leland Yee presented FPACC’s “2013 Businessman of the Year Award” to Van Dichoso, CPA and wife Dr. Marilou Dichoso, MD of the “Dichoso Group of Companies”. The Dichosos symbolically shared the award to all the successful Filipino businesses across the country because – to echo the words of the Senator – it is small businesses that drive the economy and provide hope. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) defines small businesses as having less than 500 employees who in the aggregate, contribute to more than 50% of GDP and private employment.
Van and Marilou Dichoso wish to thank Mary Ann Omega, President of the Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce of LA and the board for this prestigious award. Congratulations to the LA chapter for a very successful convention.to echo the words of the Senator – it is small businesses like ours who drive the economy with employment and hope. According to the US Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses with less than 500 employees account for more than half of GDP and private employment.to echo the words of the Senator – it is small businesses like ours who drive the economy with employment and hope. According to the US Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses with less than 500 employees account for more than half of GDP and private employment.
Van Dichoso, CPA is one of SoCal’s business celebrities with accounting & real estate offices in Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, and Glendale. For more information, visit his website at:http://www.dichosoandcompany.com.
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