Richmond: Before wrapping up his official visit to Canada, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos made a stop at Tindahan, a Filipino restaurant and grocery store in Richmond, British Columbia, highlighting the role of overseas Filipino establishments in preserving the country's culture and culinary heritage.

According to Philippines News Agency, in a social media post on Saturday, Marcos said places like Tindahan (store) help keep Filipino traditions alive by offering Filipinos abroad a selection of dishes they used to eat back home. 'For many of our kababayans (compatriots) in Canada, it is where they can prepare the dishes they grew up with and share them with family and friends,' he said.

Marcos also recognized the restaurant for serving dishes inspired by the recipes of the late culinary icon Nora Daza, whose contributions helped shape Filipino cuisine. He said it was heartening to see Daza's legacy continue to bring people together, even far from home. 'The restaurant serves dishes from the kitchens of the late Nora Daza, whose recipes helped shape Filipino cuisine for generations. It's wonderful to see her legacy continue,' Marcos said.

Daza is the mother of one of Marcos' best friends, Gabriel "Bong" Daza III, who passed away in 2016 after suffering from a heart attack. The President's visit to the restaurant underscored the enduring role of Filipino overseas as community spaces that preserve culture, celebrate heritage, and strengthen the bond among Filipinos abroad.

Marcos and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also visited a branch of fast-food chain Jollibee in Vancouver on Thursday. While in Vancouver, Marcos met Rome Pagkanlungan, whose wife, Nerissa, was among those killed in the 2025 Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy, where a vehicle rammed into a Filipino community celebration that resulted in 11 deaths.

He said his meeting with Pagkanlungan was a 'solemn reminder of the human cost of tragedy.' 'As a nation, we mourn with every family who continues to carry this loss. The lives taken that day will never be forgotten, and neither will the families who continue to live with their absence,' he said.