By Robbie Pangilinan

Vancouver - He is a top real estate negotiator and advisor in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is a Filipino. And everybody loves him.

Tom Choy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree Major in Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1974. Then a heartthrob (Jet Pangan look-a-like), Tom almost entered showbusiness, but chose to focus on his dream.

Tom met his wife in Manila and they decided to migrate to the USA where he became a Financial Consultant at the prestigious Merrill Lynch in New York City. He was also the Vice President of the Ateneo Alumni Association of New York and former President of the Philippine NY Jaycee’s in Manhattan.

He was a correspondent of the Philippine News based in San Francisco and wrote a column for the Philippine Asian Chronicle for over 10 years.

Then Tom and his family moved from the USA to Vancouver, a move that he considers the best he made in his life.

And Vancouver loved him back. Here, when you say the name Tom Choy, even children will direct you to his house or office. His name and face are everywhere – with his tagline, “I will negotiate hard for you.”

“He is decent, still has the looks and the charm,” said a client whose property in Burnby Tom helped sell.

“He has a good voice and he can host. Everybody loves Tom Choy,” said Consul Anthony Mandap himself.

Clients describe the well-loved Associate Broker as very down-to-earth. They say he never gets old as he is always smiling, he talks very professional and generously supports every Filipino event. Tom supports the Children’s Miracle Fund and the AAABC Scholarship Program, among others.

Tom says, “You can have a success story if you persevere and if you have a vision of being a disrupter.”