The Chinese Filipino Business Club, Inc. (CFBCI), represented by President Stephen Sia, Corporate Secretary Henry Go, and Plenary Member Ramon Cheng, sponsored a Christmas Rice Drive for the less fortunate residents of Manila, a project organized by the Manila Chinatown Barangay Association led by President Jefferson Lau. The distribution was held last December 22, 2023 at the Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz.

Through the generosity of various Chinese-Filipino associations, the drive was able to distribute a total of 7,500 bags of rice containing five kilograms each to the residents. Manila City Mayor Honey Lacuna and Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto attended the distribution, and expressed their deepest gratitude to the enthusiastic donors including CFBCI.

As a symbol of gratitude, MCBO President Lao presented a certificate of appreciation to each of the leaders of the organizations. Afterwards, the rice bags were given to the residents who lined up in an orderly fashion with huge smiles on their faces.

While this year is just the second time that CFBCI participated in MCBO’s Christmas Rice Drive, CFBCI has been actively participating in various disaster relief and poverty reduction activities organized by local governments and organizations within and beyond the Chinese-Filipino community.

CFBCI is hoping that through this small gesture of kindness, the people of Manila will feel the true essence of Christmas －to help those in need without hesitation and to be thankful for life’s blessings, big or small.

菲華工商總會訊：本會理事長謝國萬在立案秘書吳恆利及外交委員會理事莊南文陪同下，於十二月廿二日（星期五）下午，共同出席由馬尼拉描籠涯主席協會（MBCO），假岷倫洛花園口廣場，舉辦的聖誕濟貧贈米活動。此次活動是由馬尼拉市府及馬尼拉華人區描籠涯主席協會主辦，菲華多個熱心社團和個人聯合捐贈，共籌得七千五百袋，每袋五公斤的大米，將惠及七千五百戶人家。

當天下午，花園口廣場人山人海，人如潮湧，華人區菲貧困戶居民列隊雲集於此，大批警察、描籠涯成員在場協助維持秩序。馬尼拉市長拉古那和副市長尼耶道一起親臨現場，向民眾送上聖誕祝福，並向熱心社團表達感謝。馬尼拉華人區描籠涯協會劉少強主席向所有捐贈此次活動的社團頒發感謝狀。接著現場井然有序地分發大米。

本會素來積極參與岷市政府、華人區描籠涯主席協會開展的各項救災扶貧活動，盡己之力，為菲華社會普羅大眾，特別是居於社會底層的菲律濱貧苦兄弟奉獻愛心。繼去年再一次響應馬尼拉華人區描籠涯主席協會主席劉少強先生的號召，在第一時間支持此第二次舉辦的一年一度慶聖誕贈大米慈善活動，藉此向岷市貧困民眾表達聖誕問候，希望他們能渡過一個豐足愉快的聖誕節。

圖片說明：本會出席領導接受主辦方頒發感謝狀（左起）吳恆利，劉少強主席，謝國萬，莊南文。