Latest news with #Chinese-Filipino
GMA Network
2 hours ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Marcos to FFCCCII officers: Help steer PH businesses
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Tuesday called on the newly elected officials of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. to help steer businesses, making the Philippines a dependable partner for economic growth. ''You are uniquely positioned to help deepen our international partnerships, particularly, of course, with China. Stronger ties mean better trade, greater investments, and enhanced collaboration. Use your platform to showcase the Philippines as a dependable partner for economic growth,'' Marcos said in his speech after administering the oath of office of new officials. ''So, as you embark on this new chapter, know that you do not walk alone. This government stands with you,'' Marcos added. He emphasized that the Philippines is open for business and partnerships that uplift lives and transform communities. ''I challenge you now to lead with clarity. Steer our industries towards innovative strategies that are globally competitive, sustainable, and ready for the future,'' Marcos said. ''But your leadership should not only focus on large enterprises. It is just as crucial that you empower small and medium-sized businesses. By uplifting them, you are also uplifting the entire economy and the entire nation,'' he added. Marcos acknowledged that the FFCCCII has been a reliable foundation ''for bridging differences between communities, laying the groundwork of growth, and harnessing the strength of collective action.'' He said the group has been supportive of commerce, education, and countless civic initiatives. Through the group's dedication, the Chinese-Filipino heritage has become an essential thread in the fabric of our national identity, Marcos said. —RF, GMA Integrated News
Tatler Asia
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
The oldest restaurants in Asia: Where every meal is a taste of living history
2. Honke Owariya (Kyoto, Japan; established 1465) Originally a confectionery shop, Honke Owariya became a soba noodle restaurant in the 18th century and has since been serving handmade buckwheat noodles for over 550 years. Emperors, monks and Kyoto locals have all dined here. The ambiance is quietly reverent, the flavours timeless—every bowl of soba is a lesson in tradition. 3. Ma Yu Ching's Bucket Chicken House (Kaifeng, China; established 1153) Before Colonel Sanders, there was Ma Yu Ching. This chicken-centric legend has been slinging its famed 'bucket chicken' since the 12th century, surviving wars, emperors and dynastic drama with a recipe that locals still swear by. The chicken is marinated, boiled, and fried to a golden crisp. As with many heritage restaurants in Asia, there are no frills—just centuries of flavour behind every bite. By February 2007, Henan Province named Ma Yu Ching's bucket chicken as part of its 'intangible cultural heritage.' See more: 7 famous restaurants in Tokyo with a fascinating history 4. Tai Ping Koon (Hong Kong; established 1860) Above The Tai Ping Koon in Guangzhou (formerly Canton) (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) First opened in Guangzhou, Tai Ping Koon brought its signature 'soy sauce Western' cuisine to Hong Kong in 1938. Famed for dishes like Swiss chicken wings and baked soufflés, and for being one of the most historic restaurants in Asia, Tai Ping Koon has served Sun Yat-sen, Ho Chi Minh and generations of Hongkongers. It's part diner, part history book—with a side of nostalgia. 5. Lin Heung Tea House (Hong Kong; established 1889) Above Lin Heung Tea House reopened in 2024 and seems poised to stay another century (Photo: N509FZ via Wikimedia Commons) Still proudly stuck in its steamy, trolley-pushing heyday, Lin Heung isn't just a tea house. One of the oldest restaurants in Asia, it's a fever dream of clinking porcelain, flying bamboo steamers and hazy nostalgia. Opened in 1889 and miraculously still alive after a dramatic 2022 closure-and-revival arc, this chaotic dim sum palace in Central is one of the last to serve yum cha the old-school way: no QR codes, no trendy plating, just roast duck and har gow fighting for elbow room. 6. New Toho Food Centre (Manila, Philippines; established 1866) Above Even the owners of Toho can't exactly tell when the restaurant opened, with some documents saying it started in 1866, while others claim 1888 (Photo: Judgefloro via Wikimedia Commons) Nestled in the heart of Binondo, the world's oldest Chinatown, New Toho Food Center—originally known as Toho Antigua Panciteria—there is some debate about whether it has been serving classic Chinese-Filipino dishes since 1866 or 1888. Either way, it definitely remains one of the oldest restaurants in Asia that remain open to this day. Don't miss: Chinatowns in the Philippines you need to visit Founded by Manuel 'Po Kong' Bautista, the restaurant has become a culinary institution, attracting notable figures such as national hero José Rizal. Despite its name, 'New' Toho maintains its old-world charm, offering signature dishes like pancit Canton, lumpiang Shanghai and beef ampalaya. The establishment continues to be a beloved dining spot, preserving its rich heritage while serving generations of Chinese food lovers.
The Star
27-04-2025
- Politics
- The Star
The ‘Asian Francis'
PREDICT who the next pope will be at your peril. An old Italian saying warns against putting faith or money in any presumed front-runner ahead of the conclave, the closed-door gathering of cardinals that picks the pontiff. It cautions further that 'He who enters a conclave as a pope, leaves it as a cardinal.' Nevertheless, among the handful of cardinals cited by Reuters who are being talked about as 'papabili' or 'electable' is Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, who is often called the 'Asian Francis' because of his similar commitment to social justice. On paper, the 67-year-old Tagle, who generally prefers to be called by his nickname 'Chito,' seems to have all the boxes ticked to qualify him to be a pope. He has had decades of pastoral experience since his ordination to the priesthood in 1982. He then gained administrative experience, first as bishop of Imus and then as archbishop of Manila. Pope Benedict XVI made him a cardinal in 2012. Vatican experience In a move seen by some as a strategy by Francis to give Tagle some Vatican experience, the Pope in 2019 transferred him from Manila and appointed him head of the Church's missionary arm, formally known as the Dicastery for Evangelization. He comes from what some called 'Asia's Catholic lung,' because the Philippines has the region's largest Catholic population. His mother was an ethnic Chinese-Filipino. He speaks fluent Italian and English. Between 2015 and 2022, he was the top leader of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of more than 160 Catholic relief, social service and development organizations around the world. In 2022, Pope Francis fired its entire leadership following accusations of bullying and humiliation of employees, and appointed a commissioner to run it. Tagle, who was also removed from his role, had been nominally president but was not involved in the day-to-day operations, which were overseen by a lay director general. Announcing the Pope's dramatic decision, Tagle told a meeting of the confederation that the changes were a moment for 'facing our failures.' It remains to be seen how the saga will impact Tagle's chances at the papacy. If elected, he would be the first pontiff from Asia. The real 'Conclave' As the Vatican prepares for the secret meeting of cardinals who will pick a successor to Pope Francis, forget – to some extent – what you may have learned from Conclave , last year's hit movie depicting high-level power games and backstabbing among the red-robed clerics. The conclave of the so-called Princes of the Church that will elect a new pope is expected to start some time between May 6 and May 11. It will follow Francis' funeral on Saturday and wider consultations among cardinals, known as general congregations. According to Reuters, the film, which won an Oscar in March for best adapted screenplay, is a faithful representation in terms of costumes and staging, but the blatant scheming and closing plot twist – which this article will not spoil – are too much, Church experts say. 'Let's face it: Conclave , which takes us to the heart of one of the most mysterious and secret events in the world, is a highly entertaining film, especially for an easygoing American audience,' the Italian bishops' newspaper, Avvenire , wrote in a December review. Involuntary parodies 'But it is impossible not to smile at certain characters or situations that, especially in the eyes of Italian viewers, risk resembling involuntary parodies,' it added. US Cardinal Sean O'Malley was scathing, saying in a February entry on his blog that the business of electing a pope is not 'some sort of scene of political backroom plotting of how to get your candidate elected.' O'Malley, a Franciscan friar who took part in the 2013 conclave that elected Francis, wrote: 'Throughout the process, we had a very acute awareness that millions of Catholics around the world were praying for us so that the Holy Spirit would guide us in our deliberations.' The word 'conclave' comes from the Latin 'cum clave', referring to the Medieval practice of locking cardinals up in a room until they make a decision on a new pope. That is still essentially how it works today. Broke confidentiality Cardinals gathered inside the Sistine Chapel are banned from communicating with the outside world – no phones, television or internet – and are supposed to keep quiet about the election afterward. But details, inevitably, filter through. Francis himself, in an interview book published last year, broke the confidentiality rule, and did admit there were some machinations. 'Cardinals swear not to reveal what happens in the conclave, but popes have a licence to tell it,' he told Spanish journalist Javier Martinez-Brocal. He said he was 'used' in a failed attempt to block Benedict XVI, the 2005 front-runner, with 40 out of 115 votes converging on him as cardinals behind the maneuver hoped this would pave the way for the emergence of another candidate. Benedict was duly elected, Francis said, after he told one of the would-be schemers: 'Don't fool me with this candidacy, because right now I'm going to say I'm not going to accept, OK? Leave me out.' Francis said he personally voted for Benedict because the Church needed a 'transition pope' after the long papacy of John Paul II. In 2013, Francis came up as a surprise candidate, after impressing peers with a speech on the need for church reform. This time around, there is no clear front-runner, although British bookmakers have named reformer Tagle and Pietro Parolin, a compromise choice from Italy, as early favorites in the race. Robert Harris, author of the book on which the film Conclave is based, told The Boston Globe this week that he had approached the conclave 'purely from a secular point of view of someone who is interested in institutions, how they work, and the power plays within them.' Most wonderful drama 'These powerful figures are locked away in one of the most extraordinary artistic gems of the Renaissance. They're not allowed to speak to the outside world and they have to stay there for days until they get a two-thirds majority, and that is just the most wonderful drama in itself,' said Harris. The film's director Edward Berger also felt that while the film is set in the Vatican, it could be about the power games that take place wherever there is a top job to fill. 'And whenever that power vacuum exists, there's going to be people striving for it. There's going to be people fighting for it and stabbing each other in the back and trying to manipulate their way into this power,' he said. Regardless of how much the book and film are fiction, interest in the story surged after Francis died last Monday. — Reuters/Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
South China Morning Post
10-04-2025
- South China Morning Post
Chinese-Filipino tycoon's killing sparks fears of organised crime surge in the Philippines
The killing of a prominent ethnic Chinese businessman and his driver – whose bodies were found bound and stuffed in rice sacks by the roadside east of Manila – has reignited fears over a surge in violent kidnappings in the Philippines and the growing threat of organised crime networks. Advertisement Anson Que, 51, CEO of Elison Steel and a well-known figure in the Chinese-Filipino community, was abducted on March 29 along with his driver, Armanie Pabillo, in Bulacan province. Their bodies were found on Wednesday in neighbouring Rizal province, bound with nylon rope and wrapped in duct tape, showing clear signs of assault. 'There were signs of bruises and some body injuries and signs of strangulation,' said Brigadier General Jean Fajardo, spokesperson for the Philippine National Police (PNP), who confirmed Que's identity on Thursday. Fajardo said the PNP had removed the acting director of its Anti-Kidnapping Group, Colonel Elmer Ragay, amid mounting criticism over a lack of progress in curbing such crimes. Police investigating the area where the bodies of Anson Que and his driver Armanie Pabillo were discovered. Photo: Handout Authorities are investigating a possible link to Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), which were officially banned at the start of this year due to their association with criminal activities but are believed to continue operating underground through illicit networks. Advertisement
