Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran

31/08/2026

Intsik, huanna, at iba pa
By Joaquin Sy

Nagdiriwang ng ika-39 anibersaryo ng pagkakatatag ngayong araw ang 菲律宾华裔青年联合会 o Kaisa para sa Kaunlaran, isang Tsinoy NGO.

Pangunahing layunin ng Kaisa ang pabilisin ang integrasyon ng mga etnikong Tsino sa lipunang Pilipino para mas aktibo at mas makabuluhang makalahok sila sa pagsusulong sa pambansang kaunlaran.

Kaugnay nito, "inimbento" ng Kaisa ang "Tsinoy" noong 1992 nang magdiwang ito ng ika-5 anibersaryo. Mula yun sa Tsinong Pilipino, Pilipinong dugong Tsino o may dugong Tsino. Kalaunan, nagkaroon ng variant na "Chinoy" ang bagong termino. Tila mas popular pa ngayon ang variant dahil ito ang mas ginamit ng media.

Bakit kinailangang umimbento ng bagong termino? Dahil kung titignan sa kasaysayan, mas pehoratibo ang gamit ng "intsik", ang nakagawiang tawag sa mga etnikong Tsino sa Pilipinas.

At kung pehoratibo at masakit sa tenga ang "intsik", pehoratibo rin, sa palagay ng Kaisa, ang terminong " huanna" mula 番仔，na siyang madalas itawag sa mga Pilipino ng mga Tsino sa Pilipinas.

Bagama't may kahulugang "foreigner" o "dayuhan" ang dating gamit sa "番” ng mga Tsino, may pakahulugan din itong " barbarian ". May isang panahong 番 o barbarian ang tingin ng mga Tsino sa lahat ng taong banyaga o hindi Tsino.

Kaya naman sa halip na " huanna", isinulong ng Kaisa na gamitin ang "Huilipinlang/ 菲律宾人" sa halip na "huanna" patungkol sa mga Pilipino.
At dahil may tiyak na impluwensiya na rin naman ang Kaisa sa komunidad na Tsinoy, mabilis na tinanggap ang paggamit ng "Huilipinlang" sa halip na ang nakagawiang "huanna".

May kahirapan siyempreng hikayatin ang nakararaming Pilipino na huwag nang gamitin ang " intsik", at sa halip ay gamitin ang "Tsinoy" para sa mga dugong Tsinong naging citizen o mamamayan na ng Pilipinas, at gamitin ang "Tsino" para sa mga mamamayan ng Tsina.

Maraming Pilipino pa rin ang gumagamit sa "intsik", at pati na rin " tsekwa" lalo na't may maigting na alitan sa mumunting isla, at damay siyempre ang mga Pilipinong chinito't chinita. At may mga masokistang Tsinoy pa rin na nagsasabing ok lang na matawag silang "intsik" dahil sa palagay nila, hindi naman ito pehoratibo.

At may mga Tsinoy pa rin na naggigiit na ayos lang gamitin ang "huanna" para sa mga Pilipino dahil hindi rin ito pehoratibo, dahil ang original o literal na kahulugan nga lang nito ay "foreigner" o "dayuhan". Alin sa dalawa, totoong sopistikado, o hilaw lang talaga, ang pag-unawa nila sa wika at kulturang Tsino.

Ni hindi naisip na isang nakalilibang na kabalintunaan, na gayong salinlahi sila ng mga migrante sa bayang mapulo, " dayuhan o banyaga" ang tawag nila sa ibang kasamang namumuhay sa mga pulo, na halos tiyak na mas nauna pang dumating sa mga pulo.

😎😎😎

28/08/2026

Happy 39th founding anniversary Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran!

17/08/2026

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
https://bit.ly/TC2027registration
3RD TSINOY STUDIES INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
With Keynote Address by eminent historian, Professor Ambeth Ocampo.

Registration fees: P2000 (early bird rate) | P2500 (regular rate)
Venue: Central Bicol State University of Agriculture
Dates: 22-24 Jan 2027

For inquiries, email [email protected] . Also, regularly visit our website for updates: https://bit.ly/TC2027website

15/08/2026

Old techniques can be revisited and relearned, if still applicable

THE SELF-HEALING STONES OF INTRAMUROS

If you’ve ever walked past the towering stone walls of Intramuros, you’ve probably been told they’re built from adobe. But here’s a fun piece of local trivia: our adobe isn't made of sun-dried mud bricks like the ones in Mexico.

The stones protecting the Walled City are actually Guadalupe Tuff—volcanic ash quarried from present-day Makati that was forged during ancient eruptions.

Unlike solid granite, this volcanic rock is filled with microscopic air pockets, making it behave almost like a heavy, rigid sponge. To hold those blocks together without modern cement, Spanish-era builders mixed up a mortar called argamasa using sand, crushed limestone, water, and thousands of egg whites!

That combination created a clever, built-in defense mechanism:

During monsoon season (like what we are in right now), heavy rains soak straight into the porous stone. As water seeps in, it dissolves free lime from the mortar and carries it deep into micro-cracks and air pockets inside the wall. When the sun comes back out, the moisture dries up, leaving that lime behind to harden and seal the gaps.

In short? The walls effectively repair themselves from the inside out!

While modern engineers are spending millions trying to develop high-tech "self-healing concrete," this simple mix of volcanic ash, lime, and egg whites was already doing the work in Manila four centuries ago.

So the next time you visit Fort Santiago or walk past the facade of San Agustin Church, take a second to look closely at the details. You might just be looking at living stones that have been healing themselves for centuries 😉

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The self-healing adobe is just one of many secrets embedded in these old stone walls. Want to explore Intramuros at your own pace? Gather your family and friends and send us a message to book a private Whispers of the Walls: Intramuros Walking Tour at https://cultureshockph.com!

11/08/2026

Great 👍

Congratulations to Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho on her appointment as the new President and CEO of PhilHealth! 🎉

A proud Chinoy public health leader, Dr. Ho has long dedicated her work to building a healthier Philippines. As she shared in her CHiNOY TV interview, being “Chinese by blood, Filipino by heart” means contributing in every way possible to the improvement of Filipino society.

We celebrate this new chapter in her journey and wish her continued success in serving the Filipino people. Congratulations, Dr. Ho!

Watch her Chinese by Blood, Filipino by Heart interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaL2Ngang5Y

Read our feature, Dr. Beverly Ho, the Champion for Healthcare: https://www.chinoy.tv/dr-beverly-ho-the-champion-for-healthcare/

📷 Tatler Asia



Source: Philippine Information Agency, via the Presidential Communications Office. https://pia.gov.ph/news/president-marcos-appoints-edwin-mercado-as-new-doh-secretary-beverly-ho-named-philhealth-president/

07/08/2026

timely

07/08/2026