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Chinese in PH Local History

Tee Han Kee remembered

The Teehankee family gathered at Kaisa-Angelo King Heritage Center in Intramuros, Manila on June 23, 2013 to commemorate the 70 death anniversary of their patriarch, Dr. Tee Han Kee (鄭漢淇 1879-1943). Tee was the first Chinese doctor to be appointed in government service. As public health officer, he was assigned to attend especially to the issues […]

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Chinese in PH Local History

Tsinoys in Zamboanga

Many Chinese immigrants to the Philippines settle, not just in Manila, but in towns and cities across the country, one of which is Asia’s Latin City: Zamboanga City. In this charming, seaside city of some 800,000 inhabitants, where Chavacano, the Spanish-based Creole language – not Filipino – dominates conversation, Tsinoys live and play as best […]

Categories
Soul of China

The value of a converted enemy

The State of Qi (齊) under the reign of Xiang Gong (襄公 697-686 B.C.) was chaotic, depraved, immoral, degenerate and ineffectual. Some of the heirs of its aristocrats were forced to take refuge in other states. In 686 B.C., Qi Xiang Gong was slain by his own cousin Wu Zhi (無知), a trusted court official […]

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Culture

Mix and match

June is over. It’s post-wedding season. Friends whose children are young singles talked about their mating prospects. What kind of person they hope to get for a future in-law. In this multi-cultural society we live in, the question often comes up: what if your son or daughter brings home a girlfriend or beau who is […]

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Health

ABCs of hepatitis

Hepatitis is a general term for inflammation of the liver, which can be caused by several viruses. At present, there are hepatitis A, B, C, D, E and G. There is no hepatitis F. Because the virus attacks the liver, all the symptoms are also related to the liver. As the largest internal organ in […]

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Culture

Answered prayers

The Sto Cristo de Longos shrine on Tomas Pinpin corner Ongpin streets was not as widely adorned in the past as it is today. According to Norma Martin, who has been selling sampaguita garlands on the same corner ever since she was 12 (more than three decades ago), the Cross was dirty and neglected. Nobody […]

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Culture

Exploring the mystery: Sto. Cristo de Longos

Blind faith. Almost all the people I asked and interviewed about the Sto. Cristo de Longos at Ongpin corner T. Pinpin streets did not know the provenance of the black cross, how it got to the place and what it represents. But, many remain devoted. Legends are recounted, heard from other devotees; some attribute answered […]

Categories
Soul of China

Shen Nong tasted ‘hundred kinds of grass’

Shen Nong (神農) is a legendary figure in ancient China. Literally, shen is deity or god (神) nong agriculture (農), Shen Nong, therefore, means god of agriculture. In ancient times, people lacked food and suffered from hunger. It is said that during the time of Shen Nong, people started to gather seeds and fruits for […]

Categories
Parenting

Home study sessions

This past five-day weekend had been both a blast and a horror at home. When the Quezon City government announced on July 8 that classes were suspended until the 10th, I started having palpitations. The girls were going to be stuck in the house with nothing to do and, predictably, they started fighting over every […]

Categories
Life

Earl Samuel Ty Chua: Healthy eating, Christian values

For Earl Samuel Ty Chua the land of opportunity is not the United States where he was born, but rather the Philippines from which his parents migrated. Through his fledgling fast food restaurant FaBurrito, he hopes to leave his mark in the world of business. Born in San Francisco in August 1983, Chua is the […]