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OUR ADVOCATES

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Steffi Anne CHONG

Steffi Anne CHONG

I am a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology graduate from Grace Christian College. Designer for an accounting firm by day, and a night-owl gang homie by night. I have always taken interest in things that are related to my bicultural identity. It's an honor to be able to take part in contributing and supporting the organization's advocacy in conserving the Lannang heritage.

Norlene CHUA

Norlene CHUA

I am a pharmacist by profession but I am also interested in linguistics. I am enthusiastic to be involved in activities that preserve different cultures and traditions such as this initiative. I also want to improve my Hokkien and to share this with people who are also interested to learn the language. Thus, I volunteer for The Lannang Archives on my own time.

Aya Sophia GAN

Aya Sophia GAN

I am a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology graduate from De La Salle University of Manila. I am interested to practice honing my Hokkien language and to know more about the cultural impact that the Hokkien language had in the Philippines. In my spare time, I volunteer in The Lannang Archives.

Micah Michelle YOUNG

Micah Michelle YOUNG

I am a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy graduate from the University of the Philippines Manila. Although I have a scientific background, I also happen to be very interested in languages, taking classes or self-studying them in my spare time. I take special interest in Asian languages, which is why I am very interested to take part in the Chinoy Archives' initiatives. I am excited to learn and improve my Hokkien and definitely consider it an honor to be able to take part in initiatives to preserve my mother tongue for the coming generations.

Kevin CORDOVIZ

Kevin CORDOVIZ

I graduated from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Math, and Minor in Physics. I worked as a high school math teacher in Ateneo De Manila High School for 2 years, and in Xavier School for 3 years. Currently, I am taking up MS Meteorology for my graduate studies. Though my background is mostly in math/science education, I have always been interested in linguistics due to my own multi-ethnic background. I also am fascinated by its many parallels to mathematical logic and thinking. I am an advocate for linguistic and cultural diversity.

Janina LISING

Janina LISING

I’m a graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman’s BA Linguistics program and take an occasional detour into learning Sinitic languages. I am a volunteer for the The Chinoy Archives.

Kimberly ANG

Kimberly ANG

I am a graduate of the Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics program in the University of the Philippines Diliman. I am currently exploring East Asian languages as I seek to assist in preserving Sino-Philippine languages. I volunteer in The Chinoy Archives in my spare time.

Rochelle ONG

Rochelle ONG

I am a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture. I'm currently on my second year as a Junior Architect of WTA Architecture and Design Studio. I've always gravitated myself to the various fields of arts, even if they are not directly connected with my profession. I like to explore different aspects of society as it guides me to design better for the people that will use my architecture, and language is one such thing. And with that line of thought, I also want to be of service to the society in things other than what my profession can accomplish. As a Chinese born in present day PH, I don't want to waste the culture brought in by our ancestors to instinction. I want to be able to help in preserving our language, as well as get to know it better. As such, I want be a volunteer of The Chinoy Archives.

Sandra PUA

Sandra PUA

I graduated from University of the Philippines Diliman. Currently, I am working in the operations department handling and managing small stores. I am interested in learning different Chinese languages and preserving Chinese varieties. I volunteer in The Chinoy Archives, in my spare time.

Terri Anne GAN

Terri Anne GAN

Linguistics has never been part of my field of study but it has always peaked my interest, especially with the origins of some specific words from the languages that I familiarize myself with over the years. Volunteering in Chinoy Archives, then, provides the opportunity for me to engage more with my own culture - as a Chinese living my whole life in the Philippines - and surround myself with the language I once lost touch with.

Jarvin GABITAN

Jarvin GABITAN

Learning about culture is something I am very interested in—and, aside from cuisine, what better way to do this than by digging deep into their language. I speak Philippine Hybrid Hokkien with my family and close friends, which makes the Chinoy Archives directly relevant to me; it makes me proud to be involved in the research and documentation of my mother tongue.

Gwennie KU

Gwennie KU

I’m a chemist by profession. I currently work in the coatings and construction industry as part of product research, design and development. I’m an enthusiast of Chinese-Filipino language and culture. I’m interested in how the Hokkien dialect has evolved and integrated (if not assimilated) in the Filipino language and vice versa. The Hokkien we are accustomed locally today is very much different from the Hokkien currently used in China. It still bears the ancient Hokkien of our ancestors mixed with the hybrid of modern Filipino and English that is distinctly Chinese-Filipino. Thus, I hope to be able to contribute to the initiatives of The Chinoy Archives.

Jilene CHUA

Jilene CHUA

As a history PhD student, I am deeply passionate about collecting and studying Philippine Hokkien-language oral histories. My work focuses on the United States colonial period in the Philippines, and a key part of my method is examining how sources in different languages reveal and conceal certain kinds of perspectives and information about the past. I am excited about The Chinoy Archives because it is preserving the voices and memories of our Chinese Filipino families and communities.

Faith ONG

Faith ONG

I graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Diplomacy and International Relations with a Minor Degree East and Southeast Asian Studies. I completed a cultural & linguistic program at DWCLA in Japan. I am now taking my Master’s Degree at the University of the Philippines and am teaching English to foreigners at a language college. Linguistics have always been my passion. I studied to learn new languages, but I am also concerned with preserving the languages I am familiar with such as Hokkien. As a Chinese-Filipino, I believe it’s my duty to preserve and study the language for future generations. Hence, I am very interested to help The Chinoy Archives

Nelson CHONG

Nelson CHONG

I am currently a student at the University of Hong Kong, taking up a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and majoring in both Accounting and Finance. Living in Hong Kong, I discovered how well-developed other Chinese dialects are and how this development helps them become preservable. It is then I realize the importance of my identity as a user of the Hokkien dialect and the need to preserve the beauty of it for future generations. Through volunteering in the Lannang Archives, I am given an ample opportunity to contribute to the development of PHH in our community. I look forward to working with you all in preserving our beautiful language.

Matthew Walden LUA

Matthew Walden LUA

I am an undergraduate student taking up BS Computer Science, with a specialization in Software Technology. I focus on web development, programming, and design. I generally keep myself busy reading a book, watching anime, dabbling into philosophy and psychology, or writing. I am interested in Chinese culture in the Philippines, and how it is different from other Chinese cultures across the world. Interacting with countless Filipinos everyday makes me feel Filipino, but I am constantly reminded that I am Chinese, and that I must not forget my heritage and culture. I believe that studying language is a way to remember my roots, which is why I want to be a part of this team to further enhance my relationship with Chinese culture in the Philippines.

Victoria ANG

Victoria ANG

I am a graduate of University of Santo Tomas with a degree in Architecture. The importance of Chinese culture and language has always been impressed upon me from an early age. Despite that, conversing with my fellow Chinese has always been hard. With our generation, you can tell that it is difficult for many to use Hokkien or any of the Sino-Philippine languages for everyday use. It shows how our Chinese culture here in the Philippines is disappearing. Living in the Philippines, a lot of us forget that we are Chinese or of Chinese descent. I believe that Lannang Archives can change this. I believe that this organization can bring back the Chinese culture in the Philippines. I want to take this opportunity as a research assistant to expand my knowledge and experience, and also to enhance my knowledge of Hokkien and our Filipino-Chinese culture.

Lizbeth Marie LIM

Lizbeth Marie LIM

I graduated from Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology with an MBA. I also have a Bachelor’s Degree in Entrepreneurship from De La Salle University-Manila. Being born and raised in Zamboanga City, I grew up speaking Chavacano alongside English, Tagalog, Mandarin, and Hokkien. I’m glad to have found the Lannang Archives because I find myself relating to the organization’s goals well. I hope to be able to help the Lannang Archives grow through my background (growing up in a multilingual household) and career experience as a Chinese translator.

Serina Mara ALONZO

Serina Mara ALONZO

The Lannang Archives’ mission and vision encourages me to persevere with one of my bigger projects, an opera libretto in Lannang-ue. The germ of this idea comes from a call to action given by a conductor back in 2017 who frequently talked about the need to empower the Tsinoy community through the arts; I was lost in search of my roots and identity when I joined the community choir in Chinatown and bought in on her vision for the ‘Chinese community’. During that time, I was already contemplating on libretto-writing after a phase with Toni Morrison’s novel and libretto, Beloved, but I only really found my momentum after the staging of Binondo: A Tsinoy Musical (2018), Noli Me Tangere: The Opera (2019), and A Singapore Trilogy (2019). Opera is my frustration, so I want to give back by producing work that empowers the bigger community and contributes to eventually revitalizing an endangered language. My inspirations are Two Odysseys (2019), Dragon Music Season (2020), Das Waisenkind/The Orphan (2009), and W.H. Auden, among others. Language revitalization through music is a personal advocacy, and it’s my hope that Lannang could someday have something like Language in Lyrics - Gaelic Songs of Nova Scotia and OPM Archives.

Belinda TAN

Belinda TAN

I am currently pursuing my M.A. in Psychology (concentration on Social Psychology) at the University of the Philippines. My research interests involve close relationships, arts, culture, and technology. I am also an experienced professional with a demonstrated history of working for public and private sectors that mainly involves learning and development. One significant insight I've learned from my discipline is to know, accept, and embrace yourself - despite your flaws and imperfections - to experience genuine and lasting growth as a person. Working and contributing to the advocacy of The Lannang Archives is putting that theory into practice. I am now embracing my Lannang heritage that had been mostly ignored and under-appreciated most of my life. And, on my way to understand and value our language and culture - that part of myself. Yes, I am all that plus being a couch potato and a cat mom.

Clifford DE JESUS

Clifford DE JESUS

I am a Literary and Cultural Studies sophomore at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sta. Mesa, Manila. The idea of how literature resonates the beauty of a specific culture fascinates me endlessly. I use my major in creating stories for my digital arts projects, digital content and videos, for various companies and individuals. I have also been part of professional media-related projects that involve the creation of original outputs such as MTVs and photography. Capturing moments of human experiences is my ode to literature and culture wherein I pour all my hard work and dedication in creating my very own "opus".

Giana Mae NUNCIO

Giana Mae NUNCIO

A graduate from Ateneo de Manila University with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with Materials Science and Engineering, I am innately curious about the workings of the world. Aside from being an advocate of science and health, I am also interested in various languages and cultures, particularly in East Asia and Southeast Asia. I deeply appreciate my Chinese-Filipino heritage and am enthusiastic in preserving and documenting the use of Hokkien in the Philippines in hopes of preventing its loss in the future generations. Growing up, learning Chinese meant learning only Mandarin and I found it such a pity that Hokkien, the language integral to the Chinese-Filipino community, was not taught as well. Since Philippine Hokkien was passed on from generation to generation verbally, the lack of published resources and standardization make it difficult to learn for a non-native speaker. I work to overcome this challenge and make the language more accessible for those interested to reconnect to their roots or to learn a new language.

Merwin Leon CHAN

Merwin Leon CHAN

I graduated from Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Management Information Systems (MIS), Specialization in Enterprise Systems, but I have a passion and interest for history and ethnolinguistics, so I have been an active contributor too in such domains like, Wiktionary, Quora, Wikipedia and other such apps. With my background as part of growing up immersed in the Chinese Filipino culture and all such languages heard or used through the years, I aid in supporting the initiatives for this heritage.

Dennis ERESTAIN

Dennis ERESTAIN

I am a Computer Engineer and have been in the web content management field for almost 10 years, managing a wide array of digital portfolios and leading a diverse and high performing web team. I am currently exploring the field of experience design and UX/UI. I am a movie goer, coffee lover, and addicted to Manga/Manhwa/Manhua.

Sannie GO HO

Sannie GO HO

I am a registered pharmacist who has work experience in insurance underwriting and web content publishing. Currently, I am on a new chapter of my career where I am exploring the field of experience design. My hobbies include reading manhua and light novels.

Kashmir CAPUNO

Kashmir CAPUNO

A graduate of the University of the Philippines Los Banos, I’m a human ecologist by training and a researcher by profession. My interest in languages has driven me to study German and some local languages. Being an indigenous peoples’ rights advocate, I have realized the significance of language in the preservation of culture. As Noam Chomsky has said, “A language is not just words. It’s a culture, a tradition, a unification of a community, a whole history that creates what a community is."

Gaby FLORES

Gaby FLORES

I'm a freelance writer and Comparative Literature graduate student whose interests are in the Filipino diaspora and postcolonialism. I write on lifestyle news and current events, and find these stories a natural compliment to my academic interests on how culture and identity are constantly formed and re-formed. Outside of work and school, you can find me eating lots of spicy food or watching stand-up videos on YouTube.

John Paolo LAGRISOLA

John Paolo LAGRISOLA

I am currently a college junior taking my Bachelors degree at Batangas State University, Alangilan Campus. My professional interests are learning more about the leadership, people-handling, philippine market and the business side of Information Technology (IT). My personal interests are immersing myself in different cultures and learning foreign languages. It may sound cliche but I firmly believe that “Experience is the best teacher”, as I tried numbers of activities and volunteer groups before, many of my friends thought that It’s just a waste of time, but personally in the greater scheme of things I was actually gaining something much more important, and it was the Experience. I am looking forward to fulfilling more of my interest while I’m here in this community.

Hysa GUARTE

Hysa GUARTE

I took up BA English Studies (Language) in UP Diliman thinking that it would be my pre-law course, but in my third year, I fell in love with studying the structure of a sentence. My love grew deeper when I took a sociolinguistics class. I knew then and there that my dream changed from being a lawyer to being a teacher who aims to show other people how exciting studying languages can be. I am currently finishing my MA degree in English Studies (Language). Some of my research interests are language and gender, language education, language policies and politics, language and identity, semantics, and sociolinguistics.

Melissa Anne ODTOHAN

Melissa Anne ODTOHAN

I am currently taking BA Political Science at the University of the Philippines. It is my hope in the future to be a lawyer and a clinical psychologist so I can provide service to people in any way that I can. Working in this organization, I will be able to do that. Growing up, I only learned to speak Mandarin and Filipino. It is unfortunate that I have never learned to speak Hokkien as this is important in the Chinese-Filipino community. Being part of Lannang Archives gives me an opportunity to learn more about the language that I should have known and spoken as I was growing up. This provides a way for me to understand myself more, and hopefully as I go through that process, I will be able to help someone who is the same as me.

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