The kidnapping incidence in the country involving Filipino Chinese has reduced a lot today compared to the past, Teresita Ang See, founding president of the Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran Inc., said.

Ang See was in Bacolod City as guest speaker in the BacoLaodiat spring festival celebration at the SMX Convention Center Saturday.

In an interview, Ang See said they had quite a lot ofsuccess in the anti-kidnapping campaign and had held two forums with Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas in the last five months because they have asked him to give special attention to the peace and order problem before the elections starts.

Ang See said Roxas has done quite well in addressing the problem because he is very organized and meets regularly with them to have dialogs with the Tsinoy community.

Before, there were almost two or three kidnapping incidence a week. Now, there are probably two or three a month. There are also months when there is zero incidence. So it is very heartening and it is a lot of comfort to them, she said.

Ang joined the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force Board of Advisory in 1993 to assist the PNP in its drive against kidnapping; Konsyensyang Pinoy the same year to push for judicial reforms and drive against illegal drugs.

In 1995, she was a member-convenor Chinese-Filipino Community Peace and Order Coordinating Council to advocate for the preservation of peace and order in Chinese-Filipino Community. In November 2000, she chaired the People’s Law Enforcement Board to effect changes and reforms in the PNP.

On the other hand, Ang See encouraged the younger generation of Filipino Chinese to continue what their ancestors have started for the betterment of the country,

Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran Inc. is an organization of Chinese Filipino actively promoting the integration of the ethnic Chinese into mainstream Philippine society.

Ang See said their ancestors have come a long, long way from the time that they were considered an alien minority.

“Now we are considered a cultural minority of the Philippines. That is why our beliefs and traditions are now accepted as part of Filipino beliefs and traditions,” she said.

Ang See said their ancestors have already done a lot to put down their roots in Philippine soil. They have made a lot of sacrifices so the younger generation should remember that the issues and concerns of the Filipinos are also their issues and concerns.

“So we have to do our best, not just to follow the footsteps of our parents, but for the betterment of our country,” she said.

Ang See, meanwhile, recalled that she was invited during the first BacoLaodiat Festival in Bacolod City during the Leonardia administration.

She said that since the time the BacoLaodiat was established years ago, it looks like its has become bigger and bigger and it is even very well accepted by the Negrense.

It is very impressive that the local government supports this activities.

Former Mayor and now Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia said that when he conceptualized the BacoLaodiat Festival in 2005, he asked the Chinese community to come together and they went to Iloilo to observe the Chinese New Year celebration after he was invited by then Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas to observe the activity.

After that, Alfredo Barcelona was assigned to chair the first BacoLaodiat Festival in Bacolod and he commissioned his niece, who helped them coin the word BacoLaodiat, he said.

Leonardia said that in several meetings, he told the Chinese community that the idea in coming up with the festival was to recognize the Chinese presence and contribution to Bacolod society.

It was a way to honor them and at the same time, he said, he believes that the festival will become a big tourism attraction. At that time it was projected that tourism will become the biggest industry in the world, he said.

Leonardia said it has been projected that 30 million Chinese tourists will go out of their country and go somewhere else. So he expects the BacoLaodiat to also become a big tourist attraction to them someday.*CGS

back to top