In the minds of many people, there is a prevailing perception that most, if not all, the Chinese in our country are businessmen. But is it true? Based on the 1903 census, among the 41,035 Chinese in the Philippines, there were 2,931 cooks, 2,508 carpenters, 1,363 shoemakers, 1,355 messengers, 998 servants, 549 bakers, 495 blacksmiths, […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 14, no. 18 (February 19, 2002): 8-9, 13. It’s Valentine’s Day. Tulay looks into several facets of Tsinoy relationships. Jackie Co’s “Queridas” depicts the colorful and deceitful life of mistresses. A mother writes to her daughter about race relations in life and in love while Stephanie writes to […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest, August 6, 2002, p. 11 Selbevußstein,” my philosophy professor intoned in that stiff, upper-lipped German way, and I was positively enamored. It reminded me of the time when as a child, I would pass by the Goethe Institute and wonder if I should study guttural German when I […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 23, no. 13, (December 7-20, 2010), 5. The Chinese surname 許 (Co in Hokkien, Xu in Mandarin) ranks ninth among the Chinese surnames in the Philippines and 28th in China. Of the Philippines’ 15 presidents, two are heirs of the surname Co – Corazon Cojuangco Aquino and Benigno […]
Chinese surname 余 (Yi in both Hokkien and Mandarin) ranks 29th among Chinese in the Philippines and 40th in China. Most Tsinoys with surname Yi in the Philippines are Cantonese. The Cantonese pronunciation of 余 is also Yi, and spelled Yee, Yi, or Yu. The origin of surname Yu originated from a famous government official […]
T he holiday season is a good time to get together with friends, family, colleagues. It is also a time for sharing with the less fortunate. Here are a few tips to keep the times merry, avoiding hazards that can spoil the season. Kitchen safety. In many households, the kitchen is busier as food is prepared […]
Tzu Chi (慈濟), means compassion 慈 and relief 濟. The Tzu Chi logo consists of a ship that bears the lotus fruit and flower, symbolizing the belief that the world can be made a better place by planting good karmic seeds. Followers believe that these seeds are required for flowers to bloom and bear fruit, […]
Even in this modern day and age, Tsinoy traditions continue to underpin Tsinoy’s marriage rites. While modern Tsinoy couples incorporate Western elements into their weddings, they still abide by the same norms their parents practiced back in their generation, hoping to attract fortune and keep their parents happy. “I find some of the [traditions] okay, […]
林 (Lim in Hokkien, Lin in Mandarin) ranks only as the 17th most popular surnames in China. Yet, it is 6th among Tsinoys, a well-known Chinese surname that over time has been linked with swashbuckling romance, courage in battle, and service in government. In history, there is the pirate Lim-a-hong as early as 1574; Mariano […]
Fishing boats. To city dwellers, these bring to mind quaint remembrances of vacations spent by the sea. To fisherfolk in the many islands of the archipelago, these make a vital difference between a decent living and penury. In November 2013, Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) touched down in the Visayas and in one brief sweep of violence […]