On 30 January 2025, at 1:00 p.m., the Chinese Filipino Business Club, Inc. (CFBCI) conducted a courtesy meeting with Hon. Sherwin “Win” Ting Gatchalian at the Senate of the Philippines, GSIS Building, Pasay City. The following officers attended the meeting on behalf of the organization: Executive Vice President Gerald Uy Chan, Vice President Paul Yeung, Director William Rogando, Vice Chairman Eduardo Ting Tiu, Vice Chairman Henry Junior Tiu, Vice Chairman Gregorio Lagamayo, Vice Chairman Atty. Kesterson T. Kua, and Mr. Jason Ang (son-in-law of President Emeritus Tomas Ang).

During the meeting, CFBCI officers were all perceptive as Sen. Gatchalian talked about his main advocacies namely: accessible and quality education, consumer-friendly energy policy, pro-consumer legislations, and information and communications technology reforms. As a Filipino-Chinese himself, Sen. Gatchalian warmly recognizes the significant role of community organizations as a constant collaborator of the government to achieve national progress. We are proud that, since our establishment in 1998, CFBCI has been working closely with government officials and agencies to contribute to their efforts to propel societal progress and extend assistance to grassroots communities.

Looking back, Sen. Gatchalian has served as the Representative of the 1st District of Valenzuela City at the 12th Congress from 2001 until 2004. Afterwards, he assumed the mayoral position in the same city where he served from 2004 until 2013, spanning of three consecutive terms. Then, he worked again as a congressman from 2013 to 2016, before being elected as a Senator. From 2016 up to the present, Sen. Gatchalian continuously serves the Filipino people, particularly, by prioritizing the areas of basic education, arts and culture, and energy.

Overall, the meeting has been a productive exchange of insights between the two parties. They discussed the recent issues in our country and how the Senate works persistently to generate legislations that will resolve these problems. Everyone contributed to the discussion on topics such as the K-12 Curriculum, the “Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018” also known as Republic Act No. 11032, and potential solutions to expensive electricity in the country.

The meeting ended at exactly 2:00 p.m., and both parties were satisfied with the encounter, each looking forward for collaboration in the future.

菲華工商總會訊：本會執行副理事長曾國強偕同副理事長楊良田，董事杜祖蔭，常務理事許有福、許福星、林文龍、柯偉順大律師及同仁楊志興建築師（本會榮譽理事長蔡自然女婿），於一月卅日（星期四）下午一時，前往位於巴西市的菲律濱參議院禮訪華裔參議員張僑偉（Senator Sherwin Gatchalian），受到張參議員的熱情接待，並在議員辦公室進行了座談。

座談中，張僑偉參議員首先歡迎本會領導同仁的到訪，並且分享其辦公室所提倡予參議院的福國利民各項立法案件，包括：優質教育、消費者友好型能源政策、有利於消費者的立法以及資訊和通訊技術改革等。他也指出，商會是政府的重要工作夥伴，在實現國家進步發展扮演著非常重要的角色，期盼大家能夠繼續支持政府的各項政策。

曾國強執行副理事長則表示，本會自一九九八年成立以來，一直與政府有關單位密切合作，以推動社會進步努力做出貢獻，並向基層社區提供援助。

本會其他領導同仁也與張僑偉參議員就菲律濱十二年教育制度、「二零一八年營商便利和高效政府服務提供法案」（也稱為第一一零三二號共和國法案）以及昂貴電費的潛在解決方案等多項議題交換意見，雙方互動熱烈。最後，本會出席領導向張僑偉參議員贈送紀念會徽和本會二十週年特刊，並合影留念。

張僑偉參議員年輕有為，是菲律濱政治家和商人，自二零一六年至今擔任參議員，為菲律賓人民服務，尤其是在基礎教育、文化藝術和能源等領域；他是民族主義人民聯盟 (Nationalist People's Coalition簡稱：NPC) 的成員，曾於二零零一年至二零零四年及二零一三年至二零一六年期間擔任描仁瑞拉市第一選區的眾議員；二零零四年至二零一三年曾擔任描仁瑞拉市市長。

圖片說明：
上圖：張僑偉參議員熱情歡迎本會領導同仁蒞臨禮訪。（左起）柯偉順律師，楊志興，林文龍，曾國強，張僑偉參議員，楊良田，許福星，杜祖蔭，許有福。
下左圖：贈送紀念會徽和本會二十週年特刊予張參議員。（左起）曾國強，張僑偉參議員，楊良田。
下右圖：座談會現場。