Many work behind the scenes. But many don’t. Some are early childhood educators. Some are bank tellers or engineers who maintain huge building systems. They analyze samples at Whistler Medical Clinic’s lab, and greet you at the eye clinic. They ring through your groceries, and answer your questions at the visitors’ centre.
Some were born in Sea to Sky, others were born in the Philippines and came here later in life. But whatever they do—as chefs, dental assistants, BC Transit drivers, and more—Filipinos do it with skill, smarts and a dedication all rooted in a philosophy of neighbourly cooperation and kindness that’s appreciated world-wide, especially in places like Whistler.
Now that appreciation runs deeper than ever after the horrific SUV attack at the in Vancouver, which so far has claimed 11 lives and changed forever how people see the Filipino community, including its values.
In Sea to Sky, where an estimated 2,000-plus Filipinos live and work (most of them in Whistler and Squamish), it’s hard to come up with an aspect of local life they don’t touch. The Egido family—with dad Ernesto, mom Arlene, and son Arnel—is a perfect example.
Arlene might have helped you choose some good macupuno “coconut string” ice cream at their family-run shop, Cebu De Oro Services and Mini Grocery in Cheakamus Crossing—a business they started right after the 2010 Winter Olympics, which transformed Whistler.
Maybe Arlene has suggested how to cook your cod fillets at the seafood section she’s in charge of at Fresh St. Market, where she’s worked for 17 years after coming to Whistler in 1991. Or maybe you’ve heard her sing in Our Lady of the Mountains’ church choir, which Arnel directs and was part of a special mass held Monday night in memory of those festival victims.
Love the sushi at that local favourite, Sushi Village? (Celebrating its 40th anniversary!) Then you’ll know Ernesto, who’s been sushi chef there for nearly 30 years. Fondly known as “Nester” by the regulars—a nickname started by Japanese kids who thought “Ernesto” sounded like “Nesters”—he enjoys a storied past.
Previously, he was sushi chef for years at Irori Sushi in Nancy Greene Lodge until it closed and Sushi Village scooped him up. Before that Ernesto was the first sushi chef in San Jose, Costa Rica, after mastering his craft at some of the Philippines’ finest sushi places in Cebu City and Manila.
Much of his distinguished international career is due to the best advice he got from his mentors: “Love your work, they told me. And I took it to heart,” Ernesto says.
Part of that means sampling his creations before a customer walks in the door so he knows exactly what he’s serving. No surprise that after all these years Ernesto still loves sushi. His favourite? Maguro, or tuna—a legend in the world of sushi.
“It’s healthy. Good for everything,” he says.
As for Arnel, you might have gone to school with him at Myrtle Philip Elementary or Whistler Secondary; sung in that choir he directs; shopped at his Filipino specialty store Grand Food Mart in Burnaby; or had him teach you in his role as a clinical nurse educator at Burnaby General Hospital. (You got it—like so many “half ‘n’ halfers” in Sea to Sky, Ernesto lives part-time in Whistler and part-time in Metro Vancouver.)
You might have also crossed paths with Arnel via the newly minted . As reported in Pique, it’s the corridor’s first Filipino non-profit society started by Hannyliz Villafuerte “to create a deeper sense of belonging and promote Filipino culture and representation locally.”
Hannyliz is president; Ernesto, along with Arthur Santiago, shares the vice-president’s role of the society, which helps local Filipinos navigate ordinary times and times of strife, like these. It’s all based on that unique Filipino approach mentioned earlier—bayaniahan, an ancient tradition of working together to accomplish a difficult task. For instance, long ago when someone needed to move, the neighbourhood banded together to lift the traditional bamboo house and literally move it to a new location.
“The barangay is like a small community unit in the Philippines where people go to ask for assistance—anything they need assistance with,” says Arnel. “If they move or need help with difficult neighbours, they come together in the barangay and share the resources.
“It gives people a platform for their voices to be heard where it’s open and connected, and to make something good of it.”
Speaking of connecting and making something good, try your hand at traditional Filipino cooking with this recipe, below, from Arlene. Good with chicken or pork.
“Adobo is a very simple recipe that’s very easy, the way we do it,” she says. Arnel will be the first to tell you it’s delicious. In fact, Arlene wants to open a Filipino eatery at Whistler. We’ll be all the luckier if she does.
Arlene Egido’s chicken adobo
Clean and prepare 300 gm. of chicken, or about 3/4 lb.—whatever cuts you like. In a large pan on medium heat, add 2-3 tbsp. of vegetable oil. Once heated, add 5 garlic cloves, chopped (Arlene likes lots of garlic), and 1 small chopped onion. Sautee a few minutes. Add the chicken and brown it for about 10 minutes. Add about 1/8 c. soy sauce and 1/4 c. vinegar. Reduce the heat and cover, gently simmering it all about 10 minutes. Add 2 bay leaves, crushed or whole, and a pinch of black pepper. Cover and simmer another 20-30 minutes, then check the flavour. If it’s too acidic, add 1/2 tsp. or so of sugar to balance the flavours. Arlene likes her adobo sauce thick. The meat will release moisture, but if it gets too dry, add some water as needed. Continue simmering until it’s done, about 1/2 hr.
Serve your chicken or pork adobo with steamed white rice and any Asian green vegetable, like bok choy. Good with pandesal, the sweet/salty Filipino buns available at the Egidos’ shop at Cheakamus Crossing or Grand Food Mart in Burnaby along with many other Filipino products—like that great macupuno ice cream for dessert.
Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning journalist who knows that food is one of the best ways to connect.
