VRC Palawan Canteen was a cooperative canteen located in the Philippine First Asylum Center (PFAC) in 1980 to 1995. It was a canteen, a restaurant, and a coffee shop that used to serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and beer to International volunteers, Vietnamese refugees and local residents from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The canteen was built through the initiative of the PFAC Chairman's office and administration, and in partnership with Wescom and UNHCR.
The canteen was established to help generate revenues from the rent which was then used to subsidize the social activities and administrative programs of the PFAC Vietnamese administration. The renter was always a Vietnamese refugee. Proceeds from the revenue earned by the renter was solely his own and not taxed. The renter could earn a minimum of $1,200 a month in net income. The renter would then relinquish the property to the next person when he and his family left the camp for resettlement in the United States, Australia, Canada, France etc.
This canteen is so memorable to the former Vietnamese refugees because it was the place where they sat, chatted and shared happy but mostly sad stories and emotions until the Richard Clayderman music played to remind them that it was time to go home and go to bed.
