ILOILO City – The Chinese-Filipino community has significantly contributed to the prosperity of the city, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
Today is the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Water Tiger in the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese-Filipino community, however, is not staging a grand celebration due to the coronavirus disease pandemic.
“My ultimate prayer is for every Ilonggo to remain brave, heroic, resolute, and vigorous as we face another year that will definitely challenge our strength, perseverance, and courage as one people,” said Treñas.
In 2003, the city government under Treñas made the Chinese New Year celebration a part of the official calendar of activities of the city – a way of acknowledging the contributions of the Chinese-Filipino community to Iloilo’s development.
The annual celebration – an extravaganza of Chinese culture and traditions via parades, cultural shows and food festival – became known as the biggest Chinese New Year celebration outside Manila’s Binondo or Chinatown.
“Imbedded in our rich history is the great influence and meaningful contributions of the Chinese culture in our way of life here in Iloilo. This influence is very much apparent as seen in the various edifices in the city and manifested in our day to day dealings with our brethren,” said Treñas.
Iloilo City is home to some 13,000-strong Chinese-Filipinos. There are a lot of active Chinese-Filipino organizations. Among these are the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Iloilo, Inc., the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Panay, Inc., and the Philippine-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Panay Chapter, among others.
ORIGINS
When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines, there was already a significant population of migrants from China due to the relationship between the barangays of the island of Luzon and the Ming dynasty.
In Manila, Chinese immigrants were herded to stay in the Chinese trading center called “Parian.”
In Iloilo, the Chinese were hamletted in its own version of the Parian (now Avanceña Street in Molo district).
Included in these hamletted Chinese were the progenitors of the Lacson, Sayson, Ditching, Layson, Ganzon, Sanson and other families who fled Southern China during the reign of the despotic Qing dynasty (1644–1912) in the 18th century. From Maynilad where they initially settled, they decided to sail farther south and landed at the port of Batiano River to settle permanently in Parian which was also near La Villa Rica de Arevalo.
Upon the encouragement of Spanish authorities, they married local “indio” women and became Catholics. Those who converted got baptized and their names Hispanized. There were incentives for conversion. Chinese Catholic mestizos were free to travel and live where they pleased. Starting as traders, they branched out into land leasing, moneylending and later, landholding. Many prospered.
SYMBOLS OF HERITAGE
Now, everywhere in Iloilo City are signs and symbols of its Chinese heritage.
There’s the Iloilo Chinese Temple on Rizal Street. Its altar features Buddhist elements but some say it’s a blend of Buddhist and Taoist temples.
Because of the Chinese’s considerable population in Iloilo City, it should not come as a surprise that the metro has a Chinese cemetery in Molo.
The city has the Iloilo Chinese Commercial High School, which is now known as Hua Siong College of Iloilo. Founded by the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Iloilo as a preparatory school in 1912, it is the first Chinese school outside Manila and second oldest in the Philippines.
The original name was Iloilo Chinese Vocational School and it was located at Yu Tiak Ha Building on Aldeguer Street.
There are many other schools in the city celebrating and promoting Chinese heritage such as the Sun Yat Sen High School, Iloilo Scholastic Academy, and even Ateneo de Iloilo.
And who in Iloilo does not know Lam Kong Botica on Iznart Street? It is one of the oldest, continually operating stores in the metro. Popularly called Botica China, it offers authentic traditional Chinese medicines and products.
Another symbol is the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch on Iznart Street built by the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Iloilo. It pays tribute to the strong relationship between the city government and Chinese-Ilonggo community.
Iznart Street was chosen as the fitting spot for the arch because it was where one would find most of the stores of Chinese-Filipino retail businessmen./PN
