About Us

The Filipino Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest was initially organized in 1972, with key officers and members such as Manuel Rustia, a university professor; Philip Sarmiento, a consular commercial attaché; and businessmen like Ben Santos, Vincent Lawsin, and restaurateur Tony Del Fierro. Unfortunately, due to inactivity, the Chamber folded in the late 1970s. It was later revived in 1983 by some members of the inactive Chamber and new faces in the business community. However, history repeated itself and the Chamber lost its momentum, folding approximately two years after its revival.

The Chamber experienced a resurgence in 1993, boasting a robust membership of entrepreneurs, investors and service providers. Positioned strategically, the Chamber prided itself on being present where relevant developments unfolded. In 2003, the Chamber was part of a Seattle trade delegation to the Philippines. Two years later, it garnered regional attention by sponsoring the 2005 USA-Philippines International Trade Conference in Seattle, with more than 50 business leader and owners from the Philippines in attendance. In the mid and late 2000s, the Chamber became highly active with the state government in collaboration with other ethnic chambers across the state.