{"id":67057,"date":"2015-12-12T01:24:32","date_gmt":"2015-12-12T06:24:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=67057"},"modified":"2015-12-12T01:27:53","modified_gmt":"2015-12-12T06:27:53","slug":"multifaceted-gem-of-a-filipina-cora-dela-cruz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2015\/12\/12\/multifaceted-gem-of-a-filipina-cora-dela-cruz\/","title":{"rendered":"Multifaceted Gem of a Filipina: Cora Dela Cruz"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Cora<\/a>
Cora Dela Cruz
(Photo from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines’ official Facebook page<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Public servant, business woman, student, awardee, mother, wife, Filipina.<\/p>\n

Cora Dela Cruz is all that and so much more. As the Executive Director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, a mother of two kids and a widow of one, she continues to yield to her calling in the service to entrepreneurs in the Philippines and in Canada.<\/p>\n

Moving to Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

Born in Tarlac, Cora\u2019s resettlement to Canada in 1971 was a fluke. At that time, immigration was open in the country. But unfortunately, her friends who applied at the Canadian Embassy for the office category of work failed the preliminary tests. With the quota still unmet, she was then encouraged by her friends to try and with a stroke of luck, she passed the screening.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t planned… I thought it\u2019s very expensive to go abroad and I was very young. \u00a0It was in US that I heard lot of people immigrating. I was just a fresh graduate and I really didn\u2019t have any plans. There was no purpose for me but Canada became my home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to Canada and then I was employed by the provincial government, Ontario government\u2026 I passed all the exams at the Civil Service Commission in Ontario and they assigned me to the Ministry of the Attorney General.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a year of experience in an entry level position, Cora was reassigned to the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations and her career progressed from there \u2013 having roughly 30 years of government service.<\/p>\n

Opportunities along the way<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cora started a family in Toronto, Canada. She got married in 1971 and had her first child the next year. In a few years\u2019 time after migrating to the country and working in the government, she was chosen as one of the few who were sponsored to further her studies.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to school, back to the university in the evening for four years while working in the government\u2026 and I\u2019m also having my new family. It was hard because it took a lot of discipline, commitment and time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I look back I\u2019ll say, \u2018How did I do all that?\u2019 But it\u2019s all the motivation because my school fees were paid by the government\u2026 I also attended seminars and conferences for career growth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The promotions came one after another as she held a wide range of managerial positions and served on major interdepartmental review committees.<\/p>\n

\u201cI pushed myself and my adrenaline kept me going\u2026 There were moments when I recharged myself, had a break with the family. But I didn\u2019t stop, I didn\u2019t quit.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2001, the Filipino community urged Cora to put up a travel tourism office in Canada. Hence, the Canadian Association of Philippine Travel Agents was founded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t have any travel tourism office in Canada at that time\u2026 But when immigration started to grow, there was a demand. We had a lot of travel agents but there was no tourism consul office. And so, we organized this association.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSince then, we had travel agents and operators who focused on travel to the Philippines\u2026 Unfortunately, they closed it for budget reasons but they started to rally again for one as they plan to reopen it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Embracing the country \u2013 its people, food, environment <\/strong><\/p>\n

Although missing the Philippines, Cora was later on able to live the life around her. She delightfully recalled the excitement she felt whenever she saw a kababayan<\/em> (countrymen) aboard a transit bus and how the once foreign country slowly felt just like home.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the whole of the country of Canada, there were only 20 million Filipinos\u2026 And in Toronto where I settled, I didn\u2019t see that many Filipino back at the time. There may be some. Not that many \u2018cause if you were to compare that to this time, everywhere, there are groups of Filipinos.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn terms of the food, I used to have baon<\/em> (packed lunch). I cooked rice and then I put some eggs and all these. I cannot just go there and have some chicken noodle soup and crackers and cheese for lunch\u2026 I was lost to and there but the people were so hospitable in a way.\u201d<\/p>\n

As time passed by, Cora was able to embrace Canada and excelled even more at work.<\/p>\n

Always offering a helping hand and keeping an open mind, the Canadians saw her commitment, dedication and hard work and entrusted her with various positions she held for years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m thankful\u2026 I didn\u2019t realize that because of helping, of opening up, I was learning. I was learning somebody else\u2019s work. So when the supervisor\u2019s or the manager\u2019s position was opened, they put me there. I don\u2019t apply. I\u2019m lucky. But I also worked hard,\u201d she beamed.<\/p>\n

Words kept in her heart<\/strong><\/p>\n

Leaving the Philippines, Cora was guided by the words imparted to her by her father.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father said, \u2018You don\u2019t have to be shy because you have a color\u2026 In the eyes of God we\u2019re all the same no matter what color you are. The only time there\u2019s a difference is when you say, \u2018I am brown and they\u2019re white. I come from a different country and therefore I am second to them.\u2019 And my father said, \u2018You have to prepare yourself. You have to embrace all that.\u2019 And I go by that quote.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I remember when I had to speak. In my first job, one of my functions was to explain an act \u2013 act is a law. First, I\u2019m not a speaker. Number two, I don\u2019t know what it meant. But then my father said, \u2018You go out there. You think of them as they\u2019re all your equals. In the eyes of God, they\u2019re all the same.\u2019 And then so I went, prepared and since then, I loved speaking.\u201d<\/p>\n

But it was not easy as she faced challenges at work. Being branded as \u2018colored,\u2019 she was looked down and her promotions were questioned.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey went to the labor union and asked, \u2018Why was she promoted and not us? She\u2019s colored.\u2019 I said, \u2018It\u2019s not my fault. There must be a reason why they promoted me\u2026 I didn\u2019t apply, they just put me here.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018It\u2019s the way how they look at me at the time\u2026 It was difficult. They made it so difficult for me. But then, if you do your job very well, there\u2019s always that recognition and acknowledgement. Do the best that you can, recognizing that there is a growth for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cora just kept soaring and saw challenges as means to become tougher.<\/p>\n

She served as the President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce-Toronto (PCCT) from 2005 to 2006 and the President of the National Alliance of Philippine Business Trade and Tourism (Canada) from 2009 to 2012.<\/p>\n

In 2009, the Canada Asian Network awarded her along with other outstanding Asians. These were individuals who have contributed to a series of categories: public service, business, sports, arts and sciences. She was nominated under public service and business \u2013 and was the only Filipino recipient of the recognition.<\/p>\n

Always giving, always helping<\/strong><\/p>\n

Already working in the government, managing two travel agencies and nursing his ailing husband at that time, Cora was still able to set up a school in Toronto in 1999 \u2013 the Delamar Institute of Technology, Inc., a private school registered with the Ministry of Education.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the 1980\u2019s and then early 90\u2019s, the Canadian government gave caregivers the opportunity to go out, improve themselves and apply for residency\u2026 However, these caregivers had to show that they have made improvements for their careers if they want to move out from being a caregiver,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile I\u2019m there in Canada, I sponsored cousins\u2026 as caregivers. They came to me and said, \u2018The Immigration said we have to show something that we went to a school or we upgraded our skills.\u2019 I said, \u2018Okay, I will rent a couple of computers. Get all your caregiver friends. Come to the basement, Saturday and Sunday. I will teach you how to do the computer.\u2019<\/p>\n

After three months, her students increased in number. This prompted her to rent a space downtown, hire teachers and open the vocational school which taught computer usage and personality development.<\/p>\n

Returning to the Philippines<\/strong><\/p>\n

Still having more to give, Cora, then 63, eventually came back home \u2013 not as a tourist or retiree but as the Executive Director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (CanCham).<\/p>\n

\u201cI still would like to do something. I still can contribute. I had so much in me that I wanted to share\u2026 I was given the offer and accepted it. There were things I still wanted to do. I had a lot to offer and I wanted to see the country. I haven\u2019t seen it for so long. I was so young when I left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow I\u2019m here. I enjoy my work. I get to meet with members and share the business experience that I have in Canada, the work ethic, the business ethic that I gained in Canada. In here, of course, you cannot just say, \u2018This is the Canadian way of doing things.\u2019 No. it\u2019s applying it in their business.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the chief operating officer, Cora is responsible for the delivery of programs and smooth operation of the organization in relation to its members. She presents business opportunities both in Canada and in the Philippines through trade missions and events.<\/p>\n

When asked about her plans for CanCham, Cora said that she would like the organization to have at least 500 members \u2013 it has 318 members to date.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I would like to do is to be able to expand the network of Philippine companies doing business in Canada and at the same time, expand the number of Canadian companies trading here and in the Philippines. Let them know that the Chamber can assist in finding networks, finding links and that they can use the Chamber to be the stepping stone and we will make the connections between the two countries.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Being an Inspiration<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cora believes that every moment should be seen as an opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep on looking\u2026 There\u2019s always opportunity around. It\u2019s not something that has to be fed to you. Make an opportunity for yourself. And for every person you meet, there is an opportunity. If it\u2019s not now, maybe later on. A lot can happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

More importantly, she believes that a positive outlook in life is a gift we can give to the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cLife is good\u2026 I always say that. Adversities, these are temporary. Life can still be good. Sickness, you look at things as life is still good because it\u2019s teaching you a lesson to be tough; it\u2019s teaching you a lesson to be strong because a person is drawing strength from you. So I say, well, life is good.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Public servant, business woman, student, awardee, mother, wife, Filipina. Cora Dela Cruz is all that and so much more. As …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":67058,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[9637],"class_list":["post-67057","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-filipino-canadian-in-focus","tag-pci","mauthors-cyra-moraleda","mauthors-philippine-canadian-inquirer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67057","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67057"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67057\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67057"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67057"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67057"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}