Rise of Filipino entrepreneurs in UAE

Rise of Filipino entrepreneurs in UAE

  DUBAI - While the UAE is home to a majority Filipino expatriate workforce, a growing number of Filipinos have broken away from the mould by switching from employment to entrepreneurship. Figures from the Philippine Business Council in Abu Dhabi and Philippine Trade and Investment Centre recorded a total of at least 100 companies with Filipino entities in the UAE. As of last year, the Filipino population in the UAE was 620,000, with 15 percent of Filipinos in Dubai working as professionals, and 50 percent as semi-skilled workers. A growing fraction is venturing into setting up their own businesses in the emirates. Dubai-based expatriate Geraldine Quizon, 45, started working in the UAE as an engineer in 2000. Seeing a growing client demand, Quizon quit employment to put up her own technical services company to boost Dubai's booming construction phase. Quizon now operates at least four businesses in the UAE, including ship building company Al Moheri and a ladies' salon. She also has investments in the hotel and restaurant sectors. "I saw opportunities and I went for it. To be successful, it is important to find customer demand and exceed people's expectations through the quality of the service you provide. Business is all about developing good relationships," Quizon told expatmedia.net. In the restaurant sector, chef John Buenaventura is the latest to join the group of Filipino restaurateurs with the opening of popular restobar in Steigenberger Hotel, Business Bay. Buenaventura, 31, worked in the kitchens of several five-star hotels in Dubai before setting up Cuisinero Uno. "Although it is owned and run by a Filipino, Cuisinero Uno caters to a diverse range of people who love tapas and socialising," he told expatmedia.net during a media visit. Another Dubai-based expatriate, Ion Gonzaga, recently launched e-commerce business Eternitee for customised t-shirts printed with words lifted from bible verses. The Filipino social media influencer said he is confident that his niche business will take off. "The good thing is we cannot identify any direct competition because we have a particular niche," he told expatmedia.net. For their part, the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai regularly conduct financial literacy programs for Filipino expatriates. "Most of these financial literacy programs incorporate the issue of entrepreneurship and innovation," Philippine Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes told expatmedia.net, adding that the consulate "puts its fullest support to Filipinos who endeavour to nurture their entrepreneurial acumen through various start-ups or commercial enterprises". Cortes is regularly invited to grace Filipino business launches in the UAE and has seen the rise of Filipino entrepreneurs in the country. "I admire those who have come up with out of the box solutions when it comes to funding their enterprises. There have been success stories on crowdfunding and I commend these groups for ensuring that they understand the intricacies of a corporation and how it affects their investments," Cortes said. "Many are now into clothing, fashion, events management and even film production. This proves the penchant for the Filipino in exploring as many fields of enterprises," he said. Among the most successful Filipino businessmen in the UAE are celebrity fashion designers Michael Cinco, Ezra Santos and Furne One Amato. Cortes said he wants to see more Filipinos "express themselves in terms of commerce and enterprise". "Creative solutions to every day problems require a mindset of continuous innovation and that will be the key towards a successful and sustainable business environment for the Filipino. I also urge our community to keep up with their support for other Filpino businesses because only when a community is able to lift each other up can overseas Filipinos be a true and influential force in the 21st century global society," Cortes said. MYDS/Expat 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