Filipino Tech Professionals of YYC

06/14/2026

🎤 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐌𝐚 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧 🎤

How can technology help us better understand and manage our financial future?

Join us at 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗱𝗼: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 & 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲 and hear from Ma Vanessa Tagapan as she shares her project, My Financial Foundation.

Vanessa is Team Lead for SAP Finance Solutions in a railway company. A CPA from the Philippines, and a proud mom of 3 who is passionate about helping individuals and families take control of their personal finances. Through years of coaching and conversations with people about money, Vanessa noticed that many struggle to keep their financial records organized and often cannot confidently answer a simple question: “What is your net worth?”.

💡 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱: 𝗠𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

My Financial Foundation is a comprehensive web platform designed to help individuals and families organize their entire financial life in one place. By consolidating everything from net worth, assets, and liabilities to estate planning documents, insurance policies, and children’s RESPs, it gives users a clear overview of their financial health and security. Ultimately, the platform empowers users to set intentional financial goals, track their progress, and build a more organized, secure future.

✨ Discover how ideas become real solutions, learn from community builders, and explore the thinking behind projects created to solve meaningful problems.

Whether you’re building your own project, looking for inspiration, or simply curious about technology, this event is for you.

📅 Saturday, June 20, 2026
⏰ 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Doors open at 12:30 PM)
📍 Platform Calgary, East Annex

​🎟️ Tickets - $5
• ​Your ticket includes access to the event, light refreshments
​• Please e-transfer the total payment to 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻.𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗶@𝗴𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺 to confirm your tickets.
• ​In the message, please include the name you used to register.

❗ 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱!
👉 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟳: https://luma.com/kwy478v3

See you there! 🚀

06/12/2026

🎤 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐆𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐬 🎤

What goes into building a full-stack platform from idea to implementation?

Join us at 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗱𝗼: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 & 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲 and hear from community builder Gideon Jr Casas as he walks us through his project, Divines Cookbook.

Gideon or Deon is a Full Stack Web Developer with over 10 years of experience in both front-end and back-end development. He’s worked on a variety of projects focused on building scalable web applications, improving user experience, and creating efficient and reliable systems. Deon is passionate about continuous learning, modern web technologies, and solving real-world problems through software development.

🍴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱: 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸

Divines Cookbook is a full-stack recipe and food discovery platform that was designed and developed using Next.js, React, Node.js, Express, and MongoDB. The platform allows users to explore recipes from different countries, manage dynamic food content, and experience a responsive and modern user interface optimized for both desktop and mobile devices. The project includes features such as secure authentication, image uploads, content management, filtering, pagination, and API integration.

✨ Come learn about the ideas, tools, and engineering decisions behind real projects built by members of our community.

Whether you’re a developer, student, career shifter, or simply curious about technology, this is a great opportunity to connect and learn.

📅 Saturday, June 20, 2026
⏰ 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Doors open at 12:30 PM)
📍 Platform Calgary, East Annex

​🎟️ Tickets - $5
• ​Your ticket includes access to the event, light refreshments
​• Please e-transfer the total payment to 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻.𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗶@𝗴𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺 to confirm your tickets.
• ​In the message, please include the name you used to register.

❗ 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱!
👉 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟳: https://luma.com/kwy478v3

See you there! 🚀

06/11/2026

Yesterday, FTP-YYC partnered with PH Consulate General Calgary, AxE IT Consulting, Alberta Securities Commission, and CIWA, to host a Digital Literacy and Cybersecurity Lab for local seniors - Click Connect Protect. 💻🛡️

The goal was simple: empower our senior community with the hands-on guidance and tools they need to navigate technology safely and confidently.

A massive thank you to our incredible volunteers! Thank you for sharing your time, patience, and tech expertise to answer questions and provide one-on-one support.

This is exactly what FTP-YYC is all about. It is about breaking down barriers, sharing knowledge, and ensuring no one gets left behind as technology evolves.
 
Thank you to everyone who made this impactful day happen! Let’s keep building a safer, more connected community together.

06/09/2026

✨ 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐨: 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 & 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞 ✨

​Join us for Samahan Sabado, the monthly gathering of Filipino Tech Professionals of Calgary (FTP-YYC).

​This month's meetup is dedicated to Project Showcase and Technical Deep Dive—an opportunity for community members to present personal projects, side hustles, open-source contributions, startups, or specialized technical expertise.

​🚀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲
Community members will present their personal and side projects, covering:
• ​What the project does and the problem it solves
• ​The technologies and tools used
• ​Lessons learned during the build process
​
🔍 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲
• ​Gain insights from experienced community member/s as they share their technical expertise and real-world experiences
• ​Learn about the architecture, technologies, tools, and engineering decisions behind various projects and solutions
​• Discover how presenter/s approached complex challenges, evaluated trade-offs, and arrived at their implementations

​👥 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 & 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁/𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
• Deon Casas – Divines Cookbook
• Ma. Vanessa Tagapan – My Financial Foundation
• Edwin Olaez – Relay Ops
• Jerome Francisco – Interpretable Context Methodology (ICM)

​🗓️ Saturday, June 20, 2026
​⏰ 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (𝘋𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘖𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘵 12:30 𝘗𝘔 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦!)
​📍 Platform Innovation Centre, East Annex
407 9th Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 2K7

​🎟️ Tickets - $5
• ​Your ticket includes access to the event, light refreshments
​• Please e-transfer the total payment to 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻.𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗶@𝗴𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺 to confirm your tickets.
• ​In the message, please include the name you used to register.

❗ 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱!
👉 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟳: 𝗵𝘁𝘁𝗽𝘀://𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗮.𝗰𝗼𝗺/𝗸𝘄𝘆𝟰𝟳𝟴𝘃𝟯

​✨ Expect chill lightning talks, demos, and lots of open sharing.

​🌱 Supportive Community
Whether you're an experienced professional, a student, a career shifter, or someone exploring a new idea, everyone is welcome. Come to share, learn, ask questions, and support fellow builders.

Join us for Samahan Sabado, the monthly gathering of Filipino Tech Professionals of Calgary (FTP-YYC). This month's meetup is dedicated to Project Showcase and…

06/05/2026

🌟BIDA NG BIYERNES (Friday Feature)🌟

We are excited to feature another community builder, Rene Galme! With over a decade of tech expertise, Rene is a Techno-Functional powerhouse at TELUS specializing in ERP, HCM, and Payroll systems. Beyond his impressive career pivoting from an ECE in the Philippines to a tech professional, he is a dedicated community builder in the local cycling scene as the President of the SYYCLISTA Cycling Club.

Get to know Rene in his interview below!
=======================================

Full Name: Rene Galme

Current Role/Title: L4 Technical Professional

Company or Organization (if applicable): TELUS

LinkedIn Profile or Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renegalme/

Primary area(s) of expertise within Tech: ERP Software Development, HCM, Payroll and Benefits

How long have you been working in the tech industry? 10+ years

What initially sparked your interest in tech, and what significant steps or experiences led you to where you are in your career today?

I am a licensed ECE in the Philippines but worked in the semiconductor industry right after I got my license. With Offshore support and BPO starting to get popular that time, I explored a career in IT through Accenture – Manila. I learned to code and had the experience to work in the different areas of PeopleSoft – as a developer, a security admin and a functional Business Analyst. I currently work as a Techno-Functional resource for my current job with TELUS.

What are you currently working on or are most excited about in your current role and/or projects?

I am currently working my way to learn more about the Payroll for NA process and pursuing my Payroll Compliance Professional designation. Also exploring new areas with automated testing tools.

What is one piece of advice you would give to other Filipino professionals looking to enter or grow in the tech industry in Calgary or elsewhere?

Invest in your skill but do not be afraid to learn something new. Explore new skills to add to your resume but master your craft as your ace.

Beyond your professional work, are you involved in any extracurricular activities, community initiatives, or personal projects that you would like to share?

I am currently involved with SYYCLISTA Cycling Club. We are a registered non-profit society in Alberta and we represent Filipinos from Calgary in the Cycling scene here in the province. Visit our website and follow up in Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin.

https://www.syyclista.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/pinoy.syyclista
https://www.instagram.com/syyclista/

What is a skill you would love to learn, even if it has no practical application in your current field?

Business Management

If you could convince the world to adopt one (tech / non-tech) habit, what would it be and why?

Financial Literacy. Everyone must know how earnings, costs and expenses work.

05/19/2026

📣 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐨: 𝐅𝐓𝐏-𝐘𝐘𝐂 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢-𝐇𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧 📣

You asked, we listened.

By overwhelming demand, Filipino Tech Professionals of Calgary (FTP-YYC) is hosting our very first Mini-Hackathon this May.

This is your chance to design, collaborate, and create solutions for real-world problems alongside the community.

💡𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲?
• Design something meaningful in just one day
• Collaborate with fellow Filipino tech talents
• Practice problem-solving in a fun, low-pressure setting
• Learn new tools, ideas, and approaches
• Expand your network and meet potential collaborators

🏆 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀

👥 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲
• Join solo or as a team
• Teams of 2–5 participants
• Solo registrants will be matched into teams

🗓️ Saturday, May 23
⏰ 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

‼️ 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬
For event and registration details, check our Facebook, LinkedIn groups or Discord server.

05/08/2026

💫BIDA NG BIYERNES (Friday Feature) 💫

We are excited to feature another one of our co-founders, Janine Dela Cruz! An experienced Product Manager in the LMS industry, she is helping drive and shape the growing community of Filipino Tech Professionals in Calgary. Alongside the FTP-YYC team, she is currently leading the charge as VP of Technology, enabling the organization to engage more effectively with the community by providing the essential tools for high-level communication and collaboration.

Get to know Janine in her interview below!

=======================================

Full Name: Janine Adea - Dela Cruz

Current Role/Title: Product Manager

Company or Organization: FTP-YYC

LinkedIn Profile or Website:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-adea

Primary area(s) of expertise within Tech:
Product

How long have you been working in the tech industry? 10+ Years

What initially sparked your interest in tech, and what significant steps or experiences led you to where you are in your career today?
I’ve always been curious about games and media, especially how they’re produced and made behind the scenes. When I started college, I discovered the Information Technology program with a specialization in Digital Arts, which felt like the perfect combination of my interests. It allowed me to learn both technical and creative skills from coding to editing photos and videos.

What are you currently working on or are most excited about in your current role and/or projects?
What excites me most is the opportunity to solve problems. Every day brings a new challenge, and you never quite know what puzzle you’ll be working on next. It’s even more rewarding when you have supportive people around you.

What is one piece of advice you would give to other Filipino professionals looking to enter or grow in the tech industry in Calgary or elsewhere?
One piece of advice I’d share is something I heard from Dan Martell: Always be the smallest person in the biggest room. Put yourself in spaces where you can keep learning and growing. Don’t get too comfortable, instead, stay curious, keep improving. Most importantly, surround yourself with people who challenge you to become a better version of yourself.

05/04/2026

We had an incredible turnout this weekend with 20 people hitting the pickleball courts!

It’s a great reminder that building a strong community goes well beyond tech and professional networking. Sometimes the best connections are made during a fast-paced rally or a laugh between games.

Huge thanks to everyone who showed up to move, play, and connect! Special thanks to Paul Martinez for patiently teaching us the rules! Let us know if you’re interested in joining the next game.

04/27/2026

Exciting news! The momentum is moving east! Filipino Tech Professionals Society is happy to announce that we are starting Filipino Tech Professionals of YYZ !

Building on the incredible community and energy we’ve seen in Calgary, we are thrilled to bring that same spirit of bayanihan, connection, mentorship, and professional growth to the Toronto tech scene. Whether you’re a seasoned pro, a newcomer to the industry, or looking to give back, FTP-YYZ is here to help you navigate the landscape.

Get Connected!

We’ve made it easy to stay in the loop and join the conversation. Follow our pages to learn how to join our community:
🌐 Website: ftp-yyz.ca
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ftp-yyz
👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ftp.yyz
📧 Email: [email protected]

Stay tuned for details on FTP-YYZ’s first local meetup! 🚀+

Raymond Neil Galor

04/20/2026

💫 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐨: 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐈 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩 💫

Another strong turnout from the Filipino Tech Professionals of Calgary (FTP-YYC) community this past Saturday as we explored how AI is being applied in real, practical ways. 💙

From lightning talks to community discussions, the session was packed with insights you can actually use.

💡 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀:

🔐 Theresa Lagonoy
AI is making life easier and more creative, helping us work smarter and solve problems faster. But as AI evolves, so do threats. Cybersecurity must keep up, and everyone plays a role by staying informed and cautious online. Collaboration is key to a safer digital future.

🤖 Nick Simonsen
Agentic AI can drive massive efficiency gains, turning hours of work into minutes. The key is understanding your processes, reducing unnecessary costs, and setting guardrails to prevent hallucinations through strong documentation and examples.

🧠 Grace Cuento
AI works effectively as a thinking partner. It helps organize ideas, create starting points, and act as a sounding board to refine thoughts and decisions.

⚙️ Mark Angelo Racca
Will AI replace developers? Maybe a large portion. But all hope is not lost. Use AI to build, solve problems, and even reignite motivation when you hit burnout.

🙌 Huge thanks to our venue partner Platform Calgary and to our amazing volunteers who made this event sucessful:
Bryan Benedict Teruel, Arra Diane Cruz, Aemer Erana, Susannie Tiempo, Felix Campratanta, Nelson Imperial, Deon Casas, Gabriel Ira Siwa, Gab Rodriguez, John Nelvic Patron, Erika Mae Foo

📸 Photos by Krysthel Calapardo

What an engaging afternoon of learning and sharing. Excited to see the community continue to show up, contribute, and grow together.

Let’s keep the momentum going. 🚀