The Chinese-Filipino Business Club, Inc. (CFBCI) started the “Pagharap sa Pangarap" education program in 2009. In addition to supporting the academic expenses of program recipients, CFBCI also aims to develop their physical, mental, and moral health.

A total of 81 students attended the Life Skills and Motivational Seminar (LSMS) and some of them watched the live broadcast on Facebook. Two members of the Alumni Association were invited to be the speakers. CFBCI officers were also in attendance.

The first speaker for August, which coincides with “Buwan ng Wika" (Mother Tongue Month in the Philippines), was Eugene D. Lacea, a 2018 graduate of the education program. He graduated from Unibersidad de Manila with a Bachelor of Arts major in Filipino Intermediate Education  and is currently pursuing his masters in Filipino Languages at the University of the Philippines, Diliman and working as a professional teacher in a public school. Lacea’s talk focused on “Great and Meaningful (Philippine) Mother Tongue".

In his talk, he discussed with the participants the value of the national language and how mother tongue education is related to the formation of personality, national and ethnic identity, spiritual construction, and cultural heritage. Since many Filipinos focus more on learning English and are not aware of the value and meaning of preserving their mother tongue, the transmission of mother tongue has become dysfunctional and many locals are unable to express themselves in their mother tongue. The speaker shared how his in-depth study of the Filipino mother tongue has changed his life, making him more passionate about his country and more confident. He concluded by saying that if you respect your mother tongue and learn your own language well, you will become a valuable student.

The second speaker was Ericko Paulo Tolentino, a 2015 graduate of the University of the Philippines who majored in pharmacy and is now a meta-public health pharmacist, who gave a talk on “Public Health". He provided an overview of other public health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an update on some important health information. At the end of the seminar, two speakers engaged with the participants in a Q&A portion.

Selected CFBCI officers recognized the two speakers and expressed their gratitude for their personal achievements and continuous self-learning. They also encouraged the students to cherish their hard-won learning opportunities, to keep up the good work and to continue to study hard, and hoped that they would all grow up safely and healthily. The seminar was successfully concluded after the certificates of appreciation to the two speakers were presented.

菲華工商總會訊：本會自二零零九年開始創辦「點亮未來」助學方案，除支助學習費用外，也關心他們的身心健康和品德修養，因此每個月都定期舉辦修養講座，以提高他們的個人素質和生活技能，養成良好生活習慣。

本會於八月二十一日（星期日）上午，假八樓禮堂為「點亮未來」助學方案的受助生舉辦修養講座，共有八十一名學員出席實體講座，同時有部分學員在臉書上觀看即時直播。當天邀請到兩名學友會成員擔任講員。出席的領導有：理事長謝國萬，副理事長楊良田，常務顧問曾煥眉和理事留牡丹。

八月適逢（菲律濱）母語月"Buwan ng Wika"，該日的第一位講員是由本會二零一八年畢業的受助生Eugene D. Lacea擔任。他畢業於馬尼拉市立大學，主修菲律濱語中級教育學士學位，現在菲律濱大學Diliman分校攻讀菲律濱語言專業碩士學位，目前在一家公立學校擔任高中部專業教師。講座的主題是「一個菲華工商總會受助生對偉大而有意義的（菲律濱）母語討論」

他在講座中與學員們討論到國家語言的價值，母語教育關係到人格養成、國家和民族認同、精神建構及文化承傳等；由於很多菲律濱人民更注重學習英文，不清楚母語保存的價值和意義，導致母語傳承失調，甚至很多本地人已經無法整句用母語來表達，情況令人堪憂。主講人分享他深入學習菲律濱母語對他生活的改變，使他更熱愛自己的國家及更有自信。最後他總結：懂得尊重自己的母語，學好自己國家的語言，才能成為有價值的受助生。

第二位講員是由本會二零一五年畢業的受助生Ericko Paulo Tolentino擔任，他畢業於菲律濱大學，主修藥物系，現在是一名元公共衛生藥劑師，講座的主題是「公共衛生」。他概述了有關新冠病毒大流行期間其他公共衛生問題，及一些重要衛生資訊的最新情況。根據國家疾病控制和預防中心（CDC）的定義，維護和增強公眾及社區健康被稱為公共衛生。公共衛生關注的是保護整個社區的健康，這與其他與健康相關的職業不同，那些職業側重於特定患者、人群或身體疾病的護理和治療。學員們從這次講座中獲得最重要的見解，知道如何優先考慮宣導健康的生活方式，找到預防疾病和避免傷害的方法，以及識別、預防和治療現在正流行的傳染病。講座會結束後，兩名講員分別回答了學員們提出的相關問題並進行討論。

本會出席的領導們亦上台表揚兩名講員，對於他們個人的成就及不斷地自我學習，感到很欣慰，也勉勵在學學員要珍惜得來不易的學習機會，再接再厲，繼續努力學習，並期望他們都能平安健康地成長。本次講座會在領導們頒發感謝狀予兩名講員並合影後圓滿結束。

圖片說明：

上左圖：講員Eugene D. Lacea的簡報主題。

上右圖：講員Ericko Paulo Tolentino演講現場。

下左圖：本會領導向第一位主講人頒發感謝狀（左起）曾煥眉，楊良田，講員Eugene D. Lacea，謝國萬，留牡丹。

下右圖：本會領導向第二位主講人頒發感謝狀（中立者）講員Ericko Paulo Tolentino。