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OUR ADVOCATES

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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

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.

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.

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.

Victoria DE LOS SANTOS

Victoria DE LOS SANTOS

I graduated from Ateneo de Manila University with a bachelor’s degree in AB Psychology. My ultimate goal is to make a positive impact on the lives of other people, especially people with disabilities (PWDs) and those living in poverty in the Philippines. I think educating myself more about Philippine culture and language brings me a step closer to understanding present Philippine society and how it can be improved. During my free time, I am either watching a movie or fantasizing about my next business venture.

Patricia ESTRELLA

Patricia ESTRELLA

As a Communications graduate and now working in an airline and tourism industry, I believe that language and culture greatly influence our everyday lives. I believe that language and cultural sensitivity will help one to have healthy relationships. At the same time, as a travel enthusiast, I love to meet different people. Sharing and hearing different stories, I appreciate that the beauty and uniqueness of each person lies in their language and culture.
It is through these interests that I decided to work in The Lannang Archives. I believe that joining this organization will be a new learning experience for me. By understanding the Lannang heritage, I hope to develop a new understanding about myself and the environment I am in. Moreover, I would also love to share my insights and skills that will also help for the cultural awareness and growth of others and of the group.

Alyssandra Raiza DEL VALLE

Alyssandra Raiza DEL VALLE

I graduated with a degree in Art Studies from the University of the Philippines Diliman. In addition to the arts and world cultures, I have also cultivated an interest in computer programming. Currently, I work as a Data Scientist for a market research institute. I also study web development and Mandarin, in my spare time. On the whole, I am eager to explore where these two passions can intersect. I am most excited about using technology to aid in conserving and sharing heritage and language.

Katherine Mae DECENA

Katherine Mae DECENA

Freelance writer and a graduate student. Writing and understanding human nature is my true passion. I am a physiotherapist who fled the medical world to explore, discover, and learn the art of persuasive writing.

Discovering Lannang made me realize that our relationship with the Chinese community is fundamental to the growth and preservation of the Filipino culture. The connection between the two cultures is tightly knitted that over the years we have become one body, and neglecting a part could be detrimental to the whole body. Furthermore, considering the contemporary events, advocating the Sino-Philippines relations through The Lannang Archives is pivotal to preserving the hospitable attributes of the Filipino culture. We have always been receptive and there is no better time to be more so than today.

Maria Anngelica ASINAS

Maria Anngelica ASINAS

Anngelica is currently studying BS Management Economics at University of the Philippines Baguio. She is a passionate and strongly driven person who loves to challenge herself by always finding opportunities to engage and work with other people.

Even though she’s determined to make a career in the world of corporate business, Anngelica will never separate herself with the field of arts – most especially, theater. She is very eager to learn about culture and heritage, something that theater allows her to explore. She believes that by volunteering in The Lannang Archives, she will also be able to learn more about the Chinese-Filipino culture and heritage.

Patricia Miguela ALPAY

Patricia Miguela ALPAY

I am a pianist, music teacher, and a distance runner. I have a bachelor’s degree in music education, and I teach applied music and theory in the classroom, group, and one-on-one setting. I am currently a graduate student of Musicology, and I am interested in the politics and dynamics of subcultures, particularly hard-core rock scenes such as punk and heavy metal in the Philippines. On days where I am away from work and school, I enjoy training for a long distance road race and playing video games.

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