APPCU awards set for June 7

CEBU, Philippines — The Association for Philippines-China Understanding (APCU) will soon be giving tribute this year to Filipinos who have helped in boosting a friendly relationship and promoting mutual understanding between the Philippines and China.

In a recent briefing with Cebu media, APCU Executive Vice President Peter Lavina shared more on the Award for Promoting Philippines-China Understanding, or APPCU 2024, which ceremony will take place on June 7.

The award is a joint undertaking spearheaded by the APPCU and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of the Philippines.

APPCU is a novel award-giving body that pays special tribute to Filipinos who have made efforts through time in strengthening friendly ties and promoting mutual understanding between the Philippines and China using their respective advocacies and expertise in the various fields and disciplines of mass media and public service; trade and commerce; and arts, culture, and the sciences.

Among its previous Hall of Fame awardees include former First Lady Imelda Marcos, former President Rodrigo Duterte, former President Joseph Estrada, former Ambassador Francisco Benedicto, among others.

APPCU was launched on January 16, 2021 when State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo jointly attended the inauguration of the Manila Forum for China-Philippines Relations via video link.

The basic rationale behind the launching of APPCU is “to actively continue the efforts of promoting friendship between China and the Philippines and to enhance people-to-people exchanges, noting that amity between people hold the key to sound state-to-state relations.”

The award searches for people who have made a mark and contributed effort through time in the improvement and advancement of Philippines-China bilateral friendly relations and understanding. The award promotes the spirit of friendship and understanding between the Philippines and China.

APPCU is an annual undertaking and each year, as many as 10 laureates will be chosen. Those who are eligible for the awards are Filipino citizens who have committed themselves to the improvement and advancement of Philippines-China bilateral relations using their fields of disciplines and areas of expertise.

Along with this, Lavina, on behalf of their association, also stressed that peaceful means should be pursued concerning the boundary dispute with China, and not war as it means death and destruction.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, APCU Chairman Raul Lambino calls for strengthening people-to-people ties in the face of heightened Sinophobia and tensions over the South China Sea.

“When state-to-state and government-to-government relations turn sour, our best hope for easing tensions and path to resolving differences is through people-to-people dialogue,” Lambino said.

It is an important pillar in relations among nations because ultimately it will be the people who will be affected by what states and government do in its relations with other nations.

APCU also expressed its concern on increasing racism and Sinophobia in the country. “It is baseless and totally unfair to label well-meaning Filipinos as “pro-China” or “pro-Chinese” or even “spies of China.”

APCU and its members has stressed that many other Tsinoy organizations are neither pro-China or against any other nations. “APCU is clearly pro-Filipino and working for the best interest of the country.”

In fact, the group said that APCU has been active for the past five decades in promoting understanding, building friendship and fostering cooperation between the peoples of the Philippines and China.

APCU was formally registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 26, 1974. It is the officially recognized friendship association between the Philippines and China.

Likewise, APCU is also involved in cultural exchange, educational tie ups, sisterhood programs and promoting trade, investments and tourism which are all beneficial to the country.

Lambino added that APCU is at the forefront of building bridges of friendship and cooperation between the two countries as well as among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN. – ATO (FREEMAN)