A new book documenting the history and contemporary struggles of the Tsinoy community aims to dismantle stereotypes by framing the Chinese-Filipino experience as an inseparable part of the national identity.
Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran executive trustee Carmelea Ang See introduced “Chinese in the Philippines: Problems and Perspectives, Volume 6” during a book talk and panel discussion on Feb. 15, 2026 at the Kaisa Heritage Center in Intramuros.
The work marks the final installment of a series that began in 1990, focusing on the hybrid cultural identity of the community and modern issues of loyalty often debated in political spheres and on social media.
“The Tsinoy story is not a parallel history or a subset in Philippine history,” Ang See said. “It is a thread woven tightly into the fabric of this nation that if you pull one, it is going to unravel.”
Ang See noted that the community faces significant hurdles, including a widening generational gap and cultural friction between established families and new migrants. Language barriers also continue to impact social integration within the Philippines.
The event included a panel titled “Recovered Voices: New Archival Discoveries on the Chinese in Philippine History,” where scholars presented findings from centuries-old records.
Institute of History, Tsinghua University associate professor Dr. Fabio Yuchung Lee detailed the “Dictionario Hispanico Sinicum,” a 400-year-old manuscript found in the University of Santo Tomas archives.
The dictionary contains entries in Spanish, Chinese, Hokkien and Mandarin, serving as a primary resource for 17th-century Spanish and Hokkien interactions.
National Historical Commission of the Philippines chair Dr. Regalado Trota Jose Jr. observed that the ancient dictionary includes several Tagalog words such as bahag, haligi, caban, carabao, palpala, paypay and payo.
Further emphasizing the importance of global records, University of the Philippines professor Jely Galang shared research from the Archivo Histórico Nacional in Spain.
Galang said that overseas archives are essential for reconstructing local histories and understanding the long-term evolution of the Philippine Chinese community.
