Philippines-China Friendship Club (PCFC)

  I badly wanted to join a Filipino-Chinese or any Chinese studies organization/association or club before. As a Chinese studies and culture enthusiast I wanted to be a part of a solid organization that can help me learn more about China, and wherein I can be considered as part of the family, with the same aspiration as mine. I thoroughly search online and was blessed enough to read about Philippines-China Friendship Club. I was fortunate enough to be able to get in touch with the founding president of that club, a young professional, Mr. Austin Ong. He's an alumnus of the University of the Philippines, and also a master's degree holder from Tsinghua University (China). He has been to a lot of countries, and has been guested in local tv shows here in the Philippines. I have met Sir Austin Ong personally at KAISA this year.

What is Philippines-China Friendship Club all about?

From PCFC website:

It is a friendship club that strives to provide platforms of interactions for Filipino students and young professionals to establish and cultivate life-long friendships with the Chinese.

Objectives of PCFC:
+ To build and to strengthen Filipinos and Chinese friendship through fun and meaningful events.
+ Be a resource for Filipinos to maximize their "China experience".

PCFC also holds meetings, and social gatherings with fellow and like-minded Chinese studies scholars, students, and professionals. (Check out the group photo here about an event that was held in the past, my graphic drawing was also used in the invitation and group page.) I'm also thankful to the founder of PCFC because 2 years ago, I was able to attend the inauguration of Confucius Institute in U.P Diliman. As a former student of Confucius Institute in Ateneo, that was another milestone in my life.

I believe that we can work together for the common good. I hope that the relationship of China and the Philippines will be even more stronger. The relationship of this 2 countries dates far back.

If you are interested in joining the group, you can search for it on Facebook.

(Update: This July 2018, we have available PCFC customized t-shirts. See the photos above. For orders just leave a message here. Thanks!)

Confucius Institute at the University of the Philippines

      I received an invite last week from the Filipino-Chinese president of the Philippine-China friendship club, Mr. Austin Ong. The invitation was about the inauguration of Confucius Institute at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. I was a former student of Confucius Institute based in Ateneo de Manila, Katipunan, Quezon City. It was last year when I finished Basic Chinese 2. (Pls. do check out my previous post about studying Chinese at Confucius Institute in Ateneo).

      I almost failed to attend the inauguration because I need to stay at my area since my co-worker can't report to work due to an unforeseen circumstance. As they say if there's a will, there's a way so I asked someone to fill in for me for just a short time. I arrived just in time at the UP theater. I waited a bit, and I looked around. I think I don't know any of the people in the event. I'm thankful that I saw Mr. Joaquin Sy, the last time I saw him was almost 7 or 8 yrs. ago if I'm not mistaken. I greeted him and asked for a photo op with him. Then after that he told me that he'll take a photo of me together with the ambassador of China to the Philippines, His Excellency Zhao Jianhua. I didn't know what to say after the photo op but I just repeatedly said the mandarin word for thank you, 謝謝! (xie-xie). Truly this is another milestone in my life. One was when my article was feature in a Filipino-Chinese magazine, Nin Hao. I'm really thankful to Sir Joaquin.
   
      I also witnessed the opening ceremony, the dragon and the lion dance performed by the UP Wushu team. I also listened to a group of UP musician's play a very popular melody entitled, 'General's Mandate or A Man of Determination', often used in Chinese Wuxia, or kung-fu movies like my favorite Once Upon A Time in China, starring Jet Li Lian Jie. I really like this song because it is a song that speaks of being courageous, one that is never afraid in the battle that he's/she's going to face in this life, and being a hero in your own way.

      I'm looking forward to the courses that they will offer at Confucius Institute. I hope that they'll have a music class here. I want to learn how to play classical Chinese instruments. Anyway. to all who are interested in learning Mandarin you can try and enroll soon at Confucius Institute at UP Diliman. In closing, as my former mandarin teacher says, jia you! (go!go!go!)