Welcome to Philippine Center - Filipino-American Community in Ventura County

The Vision

The Filipino-American Community of Ventura County is pursuing all efforts to acquire its own Community Building, hence the “Philippine Center of Ventura County, Inc.” (PCVC), a non-profit organization benefit corporation was formed.

The community is hopeful that this project being a non-profit, will be able to appeal to some philanthropists and also eligible for Federal and other grants for financial support.

This Center is envisioned to serve the Fil-Am Community in many ways, but not limited to:

Supporting the youth or our community by developing nurturing their talents in order that they may become better citizens.

Providing various charitable services to the disadvantage, the veterans of our region, especially our seniors. Preserving our Filipino Culture and Heritage, through education, language skills development and presentation of Filipino Arts.

Fostering solidarity and growth among Filipino-Americans in order to improve our standing in the community.

The general idea is that the “PCVC” Development Committee” will work with the local Filipino-American organizations to raise seed money in addition to the approved resolution of the Filipino-American Council of Ventura County; that all Fil-Am organizations who have the means may pledge a minimum of $1,000.00 annually, towards the building fund. Furthermore, the center will be self sustaining, therefore it may have some employment opportunities for the Fil-Am community. Yes, we understand that this is a long term effort, but because of its overall cost it has to be approached this way to make it more feasible.

After all, the only to get somewhere is to get started sometimes, somehow, but most of all; through the cohesive efforts from all of us.

The Mission

On December 2017, the Philippine Center of Ventura County, Inc (PHILCENTER) acquired its dream building through the help of various investors and donors in addition to the funds it raised for nine years. Formely Marie Callender’s Restaurant and thereafter as City Buffett Restaurant, this beautiful 8,828 square feet building sits on a 1.78 acres boasting 100 parking spaces and it is perfect for our need for a community center. The PhilCenter lies on a highly prestigious Channel Islands Business Park on the corner of Oxnard Boulevard (State Highway 1) and Statham Boulevard and bordered to the East by Ives Avenue.

Since owning its first property at 424 Juniper Place, Oxnard, and then its second property at 1220 Lindsay, Oxnard, the PhiliCenter was able to grow its asset while improving its credit standing thus helping it qualified in acquiring this building.

Immediately upon acquisition, the PhilCenter staff together with many volunteers started converting the previous restaurant into a banquet hall which can accommodate various kinds of events. Since opening in April 2018, many events have been booked including weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, debut, organizational dances, meetings, trainings and children parties. Consequently, more investors and donors came forward to help from donating cash, large screen televisions, building signs, sound equipment, surveillance cameras and flagpoles. The PhilCenter is still seeking additional donations for new kitchen equipment, bar equipment and building murals.

A plan for expanding the ballroom, renovating the kitchen and opening the bar was submitted for city approval. The PhilCenter now offers event hosting from Monday-Thursday and Sunday Fun Night every first Sunday of the month. Events will include Disco & Karaoke Nights, Sunday BBQ Brunch, BINGO games and Senior Day Care. Upon securing renovation permit, we are hoping to open our restaurant and bar next year. Although the building has ongoing business, the PhilCenter will continue all its fundraising efforts which includes sponsoring events like Valentines Ball, Santacruzan Pageantry, Ms. PhilCenter Pageantry and Casino Trips to help pay off investors. PhilCenter sincerely thanks those who have helped the project and it welcomes those who still want to be a part of this noble cause.

#kasamakamidiyan! (We are in it together!) – PB

The PhilCenter Logo

In the summer 2008, some dedicated Filipino-Americans who were eager of having our own community center decided to git another try in pursuing this dream. There were three attempts before this. Fueled by the big success in building a 50-home Ventura Country Village in 2007 for the homeless at Balasing, Bulacan, Philippines, the Gawad-Kalinga Core of Oxnard (Dr. Jessica Nicholas, Ped Bucao, Myrna Viloria, Sid Cabran and Winston Raquedan) quickly turned their focus in pursuing the Philippine Center Project. The rallying cry was “If we can build a village in the Philippines, we can also build a Community Center here!”. In September 2008, the Philippine Center of Ventura County became a Non-Profit Organization (501.c3) which helped encourage more tax-deductible donations to the project. At the year end, the current logo was adopted from the winning design by Tino Ocampo among six other entries.

According to the designer, the colors used depict our Philippine Flag. The center core shows two hands nurturing a growing plant. The designer portrays the growing plant is the Philippine Center and we, Filipino-Americans, are the hands the nurtures it to keep it alive.

Through the help of the community, it took nine years of relentless fundraising efforts, real-estate investments, solicitations of donations and seeking investors in trying to grow the seed that now become the PhilCenter. Now that we have our community center, we are all charged with the important responsibility of continuing its care so it can grow to be a self-supporting tree on its own. We can all help by supporting its events, patronizing its business or campaigning for additional donors, investors and volunteers. We can share some of our free time in various task at the center. Each one of us should be a proud owner and supporter of our very own PhilCenter for a lasting legacy to the many generations to come.

#wearethenurturinghands! – PB