Metrobank Group Chairman Arthur Ty–accompanied by Metrobank president Fabian Dee and Metrobank Foundation President Chito Sobrepeña–on January 10 turned over donations totaling P4 million pesos to Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) led by President Domingo Yap, Vice-President David Chua and Secretary-General Dr. Fernando Gan to support two major philanthropic projects.
The donations were made in memory of the late Metrobank Group founder Dr. George S. K. Ty, who was senior executive adviser of the FFCCCII and who passed away on November 23, 2018. Arthur Ty is son and successor of philanthropist and foremost art patron Dr. George S. K. Ty. Zamboanga-born industrialist and realty businessman Domingo Yap is the first ever FFCCCII president from the Mindanao region.
Metrobank includes Phillipine Savings Bank, AXA Philippines, Toyota Motor Philippines Corp., Federal Land, Inc. and others.
The two philanthropic projects supported by Metrobank Group are:
***P2 million contribution to the Filipino Chinese community’s civic project to build a P200 million “Filipino Chinese Friendship Dome” in war-ravaged Marawi City as a new 4,000-seat civic, cultural and sports center. This dome is designed by Mindanao-born topnotch Arch. Jose Siao Ling for free as his contribution, he is also designer of Henry Sy family’s 20,000 seat Mall of Arena.
***P2 million for FFCCCII’s longstanding “Operation Barrio Schools” to construct and donate public schoolbuildings for disadvantaged rural areas all over the Philippines. The late Dr. George S. K. Ty has been donating rural public schools all over the Philippines in partnership with FFCCCII’s “Operation Barrio Schools”, starting with his first barrio school donation in 1970 in Jolo municipality, Sulu province.
The “Filipino Chinese Friendship Dome” multi-purpose center, which is expected to be completed in 16 to 18 months from groundbreaking, will be constructed in a two-hectare area in Marawi City.
FFCCCII president Domingo Yap said the dome shall showcase Marawi’s culture, facilitate commerce, promote athletics, and provide a home for other events and community needs. He said: “It is the Filipino-Chinese community’s fervent wish that this donation will help in the healing of the people of Marawi from the scars of war and destruction.”
Yap further said that the dome was designed for free by architect Jose Siao Ling, who hails from Zamboanga City.
Apart from FFCCCII, Yap said 11 other Filipino Chinese business and civic associations “came together as one, under the leadership of the Federation to seek the guidance of the government on the kind of contribution it can make.” These supporting organizations are FFCCCII Foundation, Inc.; Federation of Filipino-Chinese Associations of the Philippines; World News Daily; Filipino Chinese Amity Club; Overseas Chinese Alumni Association of the Philippines; Filipino-Chinese Shin Lian Association, Inc.; Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc.; Overseas Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the Philippines, Inc.; Philippine Soong Ching Ling Foundation; Philippine Jin Jiang Shen Fu Zhen Association, Inc; and World Fujian Youth Association & Business Club, Inc.
FFCCCII’s “Operation Barrio Schools” has also in late 2018 joined GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc. led by chairman Atty. Felipe Gozon and COO Rikki Escudero Catibog to donate new, modern public schoolbuildings for the students of Marawi City. FFCCCII has its “Operation Barrio Schools” since the 1960s, donating public schoolbuildings to disadvantaged rural communities all over the Philippines. It also supports diverse other socio-civic projects, including the Filipino Chinese fire volunteer brigades, disaster relief operations, free medical missions and other philanthropic projects.

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