Celebrating Chinese New Year

Here we are in the middle of a dispute with China but we seem to love everything Chinese. How can you explain the love and hate relationship we have with China?

For centuries now China has been a trade partner. Even before Magellan discovered the Philippines and MacArthur landed in Leyte, the Chinese and Filipinos were already friends since the T’ang Dynasty.

Filipino-Chinese ties have strengthened over the centuries (during the Ming Dynasty) being next door neighbors living in one vast sea.

Many Filipinos and Chinese have inter-married. They have established Chinatown and the Chinese communities around the country. We have more inter-marriages between Filipinos and Chinese than that of other Southeast Asian countries. Many Filipinos have Chinese blood. My family alone who seems to be dominated with the Filipino-mestizo blood has Chinese blood as well. My mother’s maiden name is Quiogue. From a two-syllabic Chinese surname it was Hispanized just like the Hizons, Lacsons, Limsons, etc.

Chinese food has always been part and parcel of our cuisine. We love siopao, siomai and pancit. Although majority of us are Catholic, we also celebrate Chinese festivals and believe in Feng Shui. During Chinese New Year we eat tikoy and the likes. We also follow some Chinese customs.

Many Chinese families in the country have contributed to the growth and development of the Philippines. They are good businessmen and have given the Filipinos a sense of enterprise. They are all over the country and seem to be the prime movers and workers in major islands like Cebu, Iloilo, Cagayan, Baguio, etc. While they work really hard for their keep, the “new” rich Filipinos in the areas are mostly public officials who just became rich in government service. Isn’t this pathetic?

Our language has also been influenced by China. We use words of Chinese origin such as apo, kuya, hikaw, huweteng, katay, liempo. Some of their practices are already embedded in our customs as well. From superstitious beliefs, marriage practices, birthday traditions (of wearing red and eating noodles for long life) and death rituals not to mention some vices and trade systems.

China is such a big country and through the years it has established Chinese communities all over the world. In the past decades, it has changed its relationship with the Philippines. The Chinese traders who have been friendly and who respected territorial boundaries seem to be overruled and dominated by their government that has become callous, mischievous and seemingly deceitful. Little by little, China seems to want to conquer our seas not to mention our land. Why has the government suddenly become greedy? After a few years of opening up to the world from being a close communist nation, why can’t they learn to recognize territorial boundaries? Why have they become so arrogant to assume they can do anything they so desire when their cause is clearly unreasonable?

Migration from China to the Philippines is still happening. To date, you can see the illegal aliens all over Divisoria in Manila selling goods from China (not sure if their sales are all legal). How true is it that many Chinese nationals are spotted in the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) allegedly working for the casinos and as construction workers? Sanamagan! Why hire Chinese aliens when many Filipinos need jobs.

How can China re-evaluate and re-calculate the relationship they have with the Philippines? How can our government be consistent with our stand? With the way things are happening, how can we establish trust with one another? 

As we celebrate Chinese New Year and the Lunar Year we wish for prosperity in having a cordial and harmonious relationship with China and the rest of our neighbors in Southeast Asia. Kung Hei Fat Choi!

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The recent mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida was said to be one of the deadliest in American history. Fourteen students and three faculty members, with ages ranging from 14-49 years old were the victims. Among them was Aaron Feis, a popular football coach and a geography teacher who saved a boy’s life when he stood in front of a classroom door.

The accused, Nikolas Cruz, 19 years old confessed to the shooting. Why did he do it? Who is Nikolas Cruz? Reports say that he had been expelled from the school. A former classmate described him as an “outcast” and that he was crazy about guns. Apparently, long before the shooting happened, his social media profiles showed him posing with guns and knives.

Gun control is a big problem in America. Democrats are proposing to increase regulation of firearms. But many Republicans refused to be drawn into a debate on gun violence. Florida Senator Marco Rubio said that it was too soon to debate whether tighter gun laws could have stopped it. Where does this leave the American people, the parents and families of the victims?

Gun control is also a growing problem in our country. Nandy Pacheco, founder of Gunless Society of the Philippines has called to strengthen our gun control laws. Our law allows a 21-year-old to carry licensed arms as long as he/ she qualifies to carry one with a permit. But Pacheco believes that guns have no business in public places. President Duterte has recently tightened the sale of high powered guns to civilians, mayors and governors. He ordered the police to return all high-powered ammunition to be removed off the shelves of gun stores and be brought to Camp Crame. This is also part of his campaign to fight terrorism in the country.

We can only pray for all the innocent victims of gun violence. But prayer is not enough. The will of the government to protect the citizens from crazy criminals must be stipulated and be given top priority. Our society has changed. Our values have weakened. As a result, our safety and security is more at risk. We need more introspection. 

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The 2018 Winter Olympics will end this week in Pyeongchang County, South Korea. The good news is that North Korea didn’t launch any nuclear test. Instead, Kim Yo-jung, Kim Jong-un’s sister attended the opening ceremony. This event came as a surprise to the whole world since this was the first time a family member of the ruling family of North Korea showed up. Now, the question is, was this a propaganda? Or has North Korea softened up? 

What is North Korea’s message to the world? Didn’t Kim-Jong-un just send a New Year’s message to America of a possible nuclear threat? Is he trying to get support from South Korea? Or is he trying to get global reactions to their presence? The war games continue and the mind games have begun. Abangan!