The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) and other major Filipino Chinese community associations, such as the Filipino Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation (FCAAF) and others, the Manila City government and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) shall spearhead a pre-Independence Day civic walk of over 5,000 people called “FFCCCII Lakad Magkaibigan” on June 9 Sunday starting 6 am to start at the Binondo Intramuros Bridge and also at Binondo Church at Binondo, Manila and to end at the Bonifacio and Katipunan Revolution Shrine fronting Padre Burgos Avenue, Manila.
There, the diverse groups will hold a flower offering ceremony, a flag-raising ceremony, and a short program led by FFCCCII President Dr. Cecilio K. Pedro, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna, Vice-Mayor Yul Servo and other community leaders making speeches extolling the heroism of revolutionaries who fought for Philippine freedom, who included ethnic Chinese or part-Chinese heroes like Dr. Jose Rizal, the Chinese immigrant who became Philippine revolutionary hero General Jose Ignacio Paua, the financier who contributed to the revolution Roman Ongpin, the World War II Filipino Chinese guerrillas who fought alongside Filipino freedom-fighters to resist the Japanese military invaders, etc.
Simultaneously in the morning of June 9, the “FFCCCII Lakad Magkaibigan” civic walks will also be held in Bacolod City, Cebu, Tacloban, and Palawan.
FFCCCII President Dr. Cecilio K. Pedro said: “Our walk will bring together participants from different sectors of the Filipino Chinese community, the major business and civic organizations, barangays, colleges, and schools, and others. This occasion is a shared celebration of our Philippine Independence Day, aimed at expressing our love for our country and fostering patriotism among our citizens.”
On June 7 Friday night at a dinner reception for over 1,200 business and civic leaders of diverse Filipino Chinese organizations at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), this is another advance celebration of the 126th Philippine Independence Day as a yearly tradition spearheaded by the FFCCCII.
During this reception, the inaugural issue of the new “Manila Galleon” business magazine will also be unveiled and presented to VIP guests led by Senate President Chiz Escudero and all the entrepreneurs and guests. The “Manila Galleon” business magazine is envisioned to be an exponent of faster and sustainable Philippine economic growth as well as international cooperation with Asia Pacific neighbors. The magaxine got its name and inspiration from the fabled and world-famous Manila Galleon trade of 250 years which saw Manila emerge as a vital entrepot between the thriving China intercontinental trade with Latin and Central America, Europe.
June 9 every year is also the Philippine government’s designated annual “Filipino Chinese Friendship Day” which commemorates the historic June 9, 1975 formal signing of the agreement in Beijing City between the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos and the late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai which established official diplomatic relations between the REpublic of the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China (PROC).
FFCCCII is the leading umbrella organization of 170 Filipino Chinese chambers of commerce and other diverse business associations nationwide from Aparri to Tawi Tawi. Apart from championing Philippine economic development and business advocacies, the FFCCCII is also active in numerous philanthropic, socio-civic and cultural projects.#
