Filipino Chamber of Commerce Hawaii upcoming events

Election of Officers and Board of Directors (Tuesday, May 12, 2026)

Tue, 12 May 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Election of Officers and Board of Directors

Pursuant to Article IV Section 4.3(b) of the FCCH Bylaws, elections are to be conducted by electronic ballots. As approved by the Board of Directors, the program electionbuddy.com will be used for the election process.

ELIGIBILITY: Members in good standing as defined in the approved resolution and are currently listed in the List of Memberships as of May 12, 2026 are eligible to vote. We encourage members to renew their membership no later than April 30, 2026.

OFFICES: The following office for election includes: President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, and Auditor. For Elected Board of Directors, six Elected Directors will be available. Vote for only one (1) individual for each of the offices of the President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, and Auditor. For Elected Board of Directors vote up to six (6) individuals only.

Eligible members will receive their online ballots through their email addresses and/or cell phone numbers listed in their member profiles. To make sure your e-ballot reaches you on May 12th, please take a moment to log in to the website and verify your membership details by May 11th.

The link to vote will be sent out to all eligible voters on May 12. Voting will be done from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm. For those who don’t have a cell phone or computer to access the link, there will be a laptop computer to be provided on Tuesday, May 12 at the scheduled Annual Membership Meeting.

To view all candidate profiles, members may visit: filipinochamber.org/elections/.

Note: Members must be logged into their membership account to access candidate profiles.

Announcement of New Officers and BoDs will be announced at the Annual Membership Meeting on Tuesday, May 12.

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Questions? Contact:

President Elect Gino Soquena, (808) 393-1807

Annual Membership Meeting (Tuesday, May 12, 2026)

Wed, 13 May 2026 04:30:00 GMT

Annual Membership Meeting

Join us for one of our most important gatherings of the year as we recognize the future of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawai‘i. We will begin the evening with member networking, Chamber updates, and a presentation: "Skyline Rail and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Around the Stations." At the end of the night, we'll officially announce our 2026-2027 Officers and Board of Directors! To learn more about this year's election, please visit: Election of Officers and Board of Directors.

Skyline Rail and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Around the Stations, presented by Tim Streitz, will provide an inside look at the City’s efforts to create vibrant neighborhoods along the Skyline rail corridor. Using specific examples from the Waipahu and Kalihi TOD areas, Tim will highlight how these developments are creating new benefits and opportunities for local businesses, residents, and visitors. Don't miss this chance to meet your new Board and learn how our city’s evolving landscape will shape the business environment for years to come.

About our guest speaker

Tim Streitz serves as the Acting TOD Administrator for the City's TOD program within the Department of Planning and Permitting, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping sustainable urban environments. During his time at the City, he has focused on TOD planning and implementation activities around Oʻahu’s Skyline rail stations, which has led to new mixed-use zoning, affordable housing policies and incentives, and transportation improvements. His management of the TOD program involves close coordination with various government agencies and community stakeholders on dynamic and complex TOD efforts that help realize each neighborhood's TOD vision.

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Tuesday, May 12

Restaurant 604 - Waterfront Pavilion

57 Arizona Memorial Dr #108

Honolulu, HI 96818

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Meeting Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Attire: Business Casual

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Tickets

$20 for members

$25 for non-members

Dinner is included

Registration and ticket payment must be completed online in advance.

Questions?

Contact filipinochamber@gmail.com

4th Annual Hawaiʻi–Philippines Business Tradeshow, Symposium, and Reception (Tuesday, May 19, 2026)

Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Hawaiʻi–Philippines Business Symposium brings together business leaders, government officials, and entrepreneurs from across the Pacific to strengthen economic partnerships between Hawaiʻi and the Philippines.

This dynamic gathering highlights opportunities in trade, investment, workforce development, tourism, and innovation—creating meaningful connections between Hawaiʻi businesses and Philippine provinces and industry leaders.

Who Should Attend

Business owners and entrepreneurs
Investors and exporters
Government and economic development leaders
Tourism and hospitality professionals
Technology and innovation leaders
Community and diaspora organizations

Why Attend

Build strategic partnerships across Hawaiʻi and the Philippines
Discover new markets and investment opportunities
Engage with top leaders in business, government, and innovation
Celebrate culture, collaboration, and shared economic growth

Event Itinerary

2:00 – 6:00 PM | Trade Show

Explore products, services, and investment opportunities from Hawaiʻi and Philippine businesses

3:00 – 5:45 PM | Business Symposium

Keynote Speaker

Senate President Ronald Kouchi, Hawai‘i State Senate

Engage in insightful discussions and expert panels:

Panel Discussion 1: Island Economies in Partnership – Trade, Investment, and Market Access

This panel explores how Hawaiʻi and key Philippine provinces can deepen their economic partnership through expanded two-way trade, stronger networks, and coordinated regional strategies. Panelists will discuss opportunities to scale provincial product exports into the Hawaiʻi market, while also highlighting pathways for Hawaiʻi -made products and services to grow their presence across partner provinces. The conversation will consider the role of the Filipino diaspora’s business networks in accelerating market access on both sides.

The panel will address critical trade infrastructure and logistics challenges that impact cross-border movement of goods, offering practical insights for improving efficiency and market readiness. Leaders will also examine how sister-state, sister-province, and chamber-to-chamber agreements can formalize cooperation and open new channels for collaboration. Additionally, the session will showcase the potential of strong regional branding – particularly from Ilocos Norte and its partner provinces – to elevate visibility, competitiveness, and consumer trust. Together, these discussion aim to shape a forward-looking framework for resilient, mutually beneficial trade and investment between Hawaiʻi and emerging provincial economies.

Moderators: Senator Rachele Lamosao & Representative Greggor Ilagan

Panelists:

Soya Cheng Bueno, Provincial Government Representative – Ilocos Norte

Constancio Paranal III, Office of Economic Revitalization – City and County of Honolulu

Keith Kanetani, Engineer – Engineering Partners, Inc.

Melody Calisay, Ph.D., President – East West Marketing

Sherry Menor, President – Chamber of Commerce of Hawaiʻi

Panel Discussion 2: Workforce Talent and Innovation Across Borders

Hawaiʻi stands at a critical moment where workforce needs, economic diversification, and youth opportunity intersect. This panel brings together leaders from across industries and regions to explore collaborative strategies that strengthen talent pipelines and create shared prosperity. Discussion will focus on addressing Hawaiʻi’s workforce shortages especially in education and healthcare, improving skills alignment between international partners and local industries, and advancing tourism and hospitality through innovative cross-regional cooperation.

Panelists will also spotlight the importance of empowering youth and next-generation entrepreneurs – cultivating a dynamic future workforce equipped to drive Hawaiʻi’s evolving economy. Together, they will examine practical solutions, successful models and new pathways for building a resilient, future-ready workforce across the islands and beyond.

Moderators: Senator Lynn DeCoite & Xavier Ruiz, Ilocos Norte

Panelists:

James Urbaniak, Lead Recruiter, Dept. of Education (Workforce Development Recruiter)

Erick Medrano, J-1 Teacher – Highlands Intermediate School

Aian Raquel, Tourism Head – Ilocos Norte

Will Sib-at, Youth Development Head – Ilocos Norte

Hilton Raethel, President & CEO – Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi (Healthcare Workforce Sector Leader)

Bennette Misalucha, Executive Director – Workforce Development Council

Jill Radke, Public Affairs Officer – Hawaiʻi’ Tourism Authority

6:00 – 8:30 PM | Reception & Networking Dinner

Enjoy keynote remarks, the Hawaiʻi–Ilocos Norte Sister-State Reaffirmation, cultural performances, and high-level networking with business and government leaders

Featured Speakers

Symposium Keynote Speaker

Senate President Ronald Kouchi

Reception Keynote Speakers

Governor Josh Green, M.D., Hawaiʻi

Governor Cecilia Araneta Marcos, Ilocos Norte

Featured Speakers

Consul General Arman R. Talbo, Honolulu

Delegates from Ilocos Norte

Learn more about event speakers

Join Us

Be part of a growing movement to strengthen Hawaiʻi–Philippines relations and unlock new opportunities across the Pacific.

Tuesday, May 19

Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach

2490 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815

Register Before Wednesday, May 13

All-Access Ticket: $25

Includes entry to the tradeshow, symposium sessions, and reception dinner

Questions? Contact:

Constancio Paranal III, FCCH, cparanaliii@gmail.com

Randy Cortez, DBEDT, randy.j.cortez@hawaii.gov