First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 24, no. 20 (March 20-April 9, 2012): 5. Chinese surname 顏 (Yan in Mandarin, Gan in Hokkien) ranks 26th among Chinese in the Philippines. However, in China, it ranks 112th, according to identification cards of the Ministry of Public Security in 2009, probably because 90 percent of Tsinoys […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 24, No. 18 (February 21-March 5, 2012): 5. The surname Yao (姚) has same pronunciation in Mandarin and Hokkien. It is the 62nd most populous surname in China, and ranks 25th among Chinese in the Philippines. The history of the surname Yao has to do with well-known and […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 23, no. 15-16 (January 18-31, 2011): 5. Desperate times call for desperate measures. When enemies come, there are many ways to protect oneself: run away and hide, change your name, wear a disguise, and so on. These practices are as old as time, especially in China. Self defense […]
In 1948, a few years after the close of World War II, the number of the Chinese in the Philippines decreased in proportion to the country’s total population. Of the 121,702 Chinese in the Philippines, 2,126 were cooks and 963 were carpenters. Interestingly, there were 1,114 Chinese bankers, 1,669 domestic helpers, 181 family drivers, 99 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 27, no. 6 (August 19-September 8, 2014): 5-6. I was so happy and surprised to find a copy of History of Ilocos by Isabelo Florentino de los Reyes at a bookstore recently. Released this year by the UP Press, it is an English translation by Maria Elinora Peralta […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 21, no. 7 (September 9, 2008): 5,13. The spectacular 2008 Olympic games in Beijing ended with astounding success. Chinese all over the world rejoiced over the momentous event, it being the first in China’s history. Not only did China host the event with flying colors, but the breadth […]