A worthy legacy

IN THE midst of uncertainties in the prewar period in the Philippines, with the winds of war threatening our shores, a young immigrant from Amoy, China, by the name of Wong Chu King arrived in the country, determined to carve out a life for himself and his family.

Even as war broke out, King started a small cigarette business, working with four assistants and peddling his produce in the eskinitas (alleys) of Divisoria. Though not involved in combat or street fighting, it was nonetheless a perilous time for the young migrant—as it was for most Filipinos—and from these years he learned many valuable lessons. It was then that King decided, as a sign of gratitude to God, that he would do “all he could to improve the lives of other war survivors.” This resolve would become the core of a life dedicated to “providing opportunities for others.”

Foremost of these efforts was his decision, at war’s end, to establish La Campana Fabrica de Tabacos, best known, at least to Filipinos of a certain age and a bygone era, for its slim dark cigarettes that have entrenched themselves in popular memory.

Through the decades, through changing consumer tastes and demands, the King family continued to provide employment for Filipinos through their cigarette factories now under the brand name Mighty Tobacco, as well as to look after the welfare of families of tobacco farmers.

Now run by family members and professional staff, the Wong Chu King Foundation (WCKF) seeks to perpetuate not just the memory of its founder, but also to live up to what the foundation calls “his legacy of humility, charity, and love of God and country.” “Transformation through charity” has thus become the “mantra” of the foundation.

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LAST year, for instance, WCKF provided funds to help with the construction and renovation of the ceiling and roofing of Sta. Rosa de Lima Parish Church in Barangay Annafunan, Tuguegarao, Cagayan, to maintain the integrity and stability of the 65-year-old church. It was at the request of parish priest Fr. Fredel Agatep that the foundation decided to help with refurbishing the “dilapidated” structure, timing the turnover of assistance with WCKF’s 25th anniversary last March. The assistance did not stop there. In June, the foundation initiated the repair and fabrication of the church’s pews.

Another church renovation project was the re-polishing of the marble flooring of Saints Peter and Paul Metropolitan Cathedral in Tuguegarao, Cagayan. This was in response to the request of the cathedral rector, Fr. Gerard Ariston Perez.

Another WCKF construction project last year was the completion of the Sacred Heart Chapel of Xavier School in San Juan, “in memory of the strong friendship between Xavier School founder Fr. Jean Desautels, S.J., Fr. Ismael Zuloaga, S.J., and King.” Recognizing the three’s “shared vision of providing holistic Jesuit education for the Chinese-Filipino community,” the chapel is dedicated to the students, faculty and staff of the school.

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IT HASN’T only been churches and chapels that have been on the receiving end of WCKF’s funding. Last November, the foundation helped repair the roof and ceiling of the Piat Police Station in Barangay Baung, Piat, Cagayan, since the King family have long been devotees of the Miraculous Our Lady of Piat.

Last June, the foundation turned over classrooms whose construction it had funded to the Nuestra Señora de Piat Elementary School. The classrooms, to be used by kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2 pupils, were named after Wong Chu King and his wife, Nelia.

In Malolos, Bulacan, the site of one of Mighty Tobacco’s factories, WCKF donated a brand-new patrol vehicle to Barangay Tikay to be used in the local government’s day-to-day operations.

Also to mark the foundation’s 25th anniversary, it held a “handog pasasalamat” (thanksgiving offering) in Barangay Annafunan, Tuguegarao, Cagayan, distributing packages of household necessities to 1,200 households.

Answering a basic need, WCKF also funded the construction of a water supply system for Barangay Minanga, Piat, Cagayan. This will serve as a safe water source for 300 households. The barangay folks used to walk long distances to fetch water, which was dirty and the cause of many diseases. Piat Mayor Black Villacete joined the folks of Minanga in celebrating as WCKF turned over the project to them.

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PERHAPS the longest-lasting legacy of the foundation are the scholarships it regularly grants to talented and deserving young people.

Last May 13, new scholars were added to the ongoing scholarship program of the foundation, now totaling 217, most of whom live and study in tobacco-producing regions. In addition, the foundation also boosted the Xavier School Educational and Trust Fund, on which occasion King was granted the school’s “Order of the White Crane” in recognition of his educational legacy.

For now, WCKF is engaged in an ongoing project: the construction and renovation of the ceiling and roof of the St. James the Apostle Parish Church in Iguig, Cagayan. A major center of worship in Cagayan, especially during the Lenten period, the church was slowly deteriorating due to damage caused by termites and other natural factors. Parish priest Fr. Carlos Evangelista joyfully said that in a few months, the church “will finally regain its dignified and worthy appearance as a place of worship to its growing number of devotees.”

Truly a worthy roster of projects, and a worthy legacy from a man who kept a low profile through much of his life, and whose foundation continues to do good work without much fanfare.