MEDIUM RARE 

Senator Imee Marcos, according to the headlines, denies that she’s gunning for City Hall in the 2025 elections. Manila’s “crowded,” besides which she still has a third term to go as senator.

But the Chinese Filipinos who were naturalized by the simple expedient of two LOI’s – letters of instruction – signed by her father, President Ferdinand E. Marcos, in 1975 and 1978 have a place in their hearts for the good senator. To reciprocate, every Chinese New Year’s Day Imee celebrates with them and their heirs, beginning with decorating the Marcos mansion in San Juan with red-and-gold money trees, red money envelopes (though empty), lion and dragon dances. For two successive days she invites them to the festivities, to the beat of drums and gongs, with siopao and noodles for refreshments, amid the powerful vibes of ch’i, the breath of life.

It has to be two days because that’s how many friends Senator Imee can boast of in the Chinoy community, many of whom or whose forebears were naturalized by her father’s LOI’s – which for them meant cutting once and for all the red tape of being registered as aliens, applying for Philippine citizenship, then being sworn in, singing the national anthem, etc., after some under-the-table activity. All that gone, with one stroke of the pen! 

The latest edition of Senator Marcos’ get-together with Chinoys happened last week, Feb. 17 and 18, one week after the entry of the Year of the Dragon. On the first of those two days, Imee was dressed for the occasion, though she did not choose red, the “lucky” color for Chinese people. Instead, she wore a black top with the head of a dragon embroidered in gold thread. What’s more, the senator who lives in Makati is familiar with the charms of Chinatown: the church, the money tree standing in the plaza, the best restaurants. 

With her cousin Dulce Romualdez assisting in the hosting chores, it did not take me long to learn from dependable sources that if there’s a drop of Chinese blood in the Marcos line, it could most likely be traced to the Chua clan. Chua was one of 42 surnames brought over by the Chinese immigrants when they landed on the Mountain of Gold, aka Philippines.