Thousands of Filipino-Chinese entrepreneurs joined the "Lakad Magkakaibigan" organized by the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) on Sunday, June 9, to mark the celebration of Independence Day.
Filipino-Chinese community associations, Filipino Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation (FCAAF), Manila City government and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) attended the civic walk on Sunday morning.
The march started in Binondo-Intramuros Bridge going to Binondo Church and ended at the Bonifacio and Katipunan Revolution Shrine in front of Padre Burgos Avenue, Manila.
The groups held a flower offering ceremony, a flag-raising ceremony, and a short program led by FFCCCII President Dr. Cecilio K. Pedro and other community leaders who delivered their messages.
The event also celebrated the national government's annual "Filipino Chinese Friendship Day" on June 9.
According to FFCCCII, the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai signed the agreement that opened the official diplomatic relations between the Philippines and China on June 9, 1975 in Beijing, China.
The signing ceremony was ahead of most Asian countries and of USA in establishing official diplomatic ties with Beijing.
FFCCCII also said the Filipino Chinese community is celebrating Philippine Independence Day and committed to help sustainable and inclusive Philippine economic growth.
"Even during the Spanish colonial era and even without benefit of citizenship, the ethnic minority had strongly supported the anti-colonial struggle for Philippine independence with many ethnic Chinese and part-Chinese who supported the revolution such as the Chinese immigrant who became Philippine Revolution General Jose Ignacio Paua, the businessman Roman Ongpin, etc. During World War II, the Filipino Chinese community actually supported and even had guerrilla forces which resisted the Japanese military invaders," the FFCCCII said.