The Filipino-Chinese community is set to welcome the Chinese New Year with ang paos and tikoy at the ready, and nothing but good juju filling their households.
To these 15 celebrities in showbiz with Chinese roots, a resounding Kung Hei Fat Choi!
Note that most names on this list are TV personalities.
Not included are film producers, such as famous Regal Films matriarch Lily Monterverde and her children Dondon and Roselle.
Newscasters, anchors, and journalists, too.
Jessica Soho, for one, was able to trace her roots in Guangdong, China, in 2007.
Gretchen Ho, a professional volleyball player turned news anchor and TV host, has talked about about her Chinese family a couple of times.
This is all about Chinoys who have made their mark in the entertainment scene.
Most of them have tried acting, some are still very visible; two are known singers.
Read: TOTOO BA: Ang mga pamahiin sa Chinese New Year ay nagdudulot ng suwerte?
Heart Evangelista
She is the ultimate multi-hyphenate born Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco to Reynaldo Evangelista Ongpauco and Maria Cecilia del Gallego Payawal.
She hails from the Filipino-Chinese clan that founded the Barrio Fiesta food empire.
Gaining prominence from the youth-oriented television show G-mik in the early 2000s, Heart grew to become one of the Philippines' reliable leading ladies and fashion icons, earning a spot at Harper's Bazaar 2018 feature on "the REAL crazy rich Asians" and at Vogue 100 in 2019.
Read: Netizens atwitter over Heart Evangelista meeting Lee Min Ho at Fendi event
Kim Chiu
Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition alum Kimberly Sue Yap Chiu, popularly known as Kim Chiu, knows how to communicate in basic Hokkien and Mandarin Chinese, thanks to the upbringing of her Chinese businessman father, William Chiu.
Fresh off the successful TV series Linlang, Kim currently is a mainstay host of the noontime show It's Showtime.
Read: Kim Chiu reveals "proven and tested" way to have love life: Wear brand-new red undies
Kris Aquino
Former presidential daughter and sister Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino, known by everyone as Kris Aquino, hails from the prominent Cojuangco clan and the politically affiliated Aquino clan.
An actress dubbed 'Queen of All Media,' Kris has 42 PMPC Star Awards for Television, 10 Golden Screen Awards and a FAMAS Award under her name.
Her claim to fame also included an appearance as Princess Intan in the acclaimed 2018 Hollywood film Crazy Rich Asians.
Read: Kris Aquino rallies on amid health battle; plays matchmaker to Carla Abellana
DENNIS TRILLO
Kapuso Drama King Abelardo Dennis Florencio Ho, known professionally as Dennis Trillo, is the son of Abelardo Leslie Ho, a Filipino-Chinese from Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, and Florita Florencio, a Filipino.
Jumpstarting his career with the ABS-CBN teen drama series Tabing Ilog in 1999, he has since moved to GMA-7, and last year celebrated his 20th year with the network.
XIAN LIM
Xian was born and riased Daly City, California, USA.
He decided to stay in the Philippines for good in 2008 to follow in his dad's footsteps.
His father is not Samboy Lim, but Godofredo Lim-Uy, who was also a basketball player.
Xian told The Philippine Star in an interview with the late Ricky Lo in 2011 that his dad is half-Chinese.
"He played for UE Warriors with [Bobby] Jaworksi, but he never graduated to the PBA. My dream was to be a basketball player like him."
But fate had other plans for Xian, who played a cameo role in My Girl, which was top-billed by Kim Chiu, who would later become his reel and real-life love.
Xian and Kim announced their breakup on Deceber 23, 2023.
RICHARD YAP
Although Sparkle artist Richard Edison Uy Yap is Chinese by blood, he never really identified himself as such, and says he "grew up as a Filipino."
He described his parents as "traditionally Chinese."
Richard became famous as "Sir Chief" Lim in Be Careful with My Heart and Papa Chen in My Binondo Girl.
He is now part of GMA-7's roster of leading men.
JOSE MARI CHAN
For years now, the Christmas songs of singer-songwriter and businessman Jose Mari Lim Chan have been the veritable harbinger of the Christmas season in the country.
An only child, Jose Mari, whose father immigrated from Fujian, China, to the Philippines at the age of 13, stands to inherit the family's sugar trading company founded in Bacolod, Negros Occidental.
RICHARD POON
Chinoy foodies who sought comfort in the Mr. Poon chain of restaurants, must have heard of chef and basketball player turned singer Richard Poon.
Despite his father urging him to continue the family business, Richard stayed true to his passion: "I found myself suddenly into music na, naggigitara na ako, halos every night five nights a week, acoustic yun, yung kainitan ng acoustic nung early 2000s..."
MICHELLE DEE
In December 2023, the Federation Of Filipino Chinese Chambers Of Commerce & Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) recoignized Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee for proudly embracing her Chinese heritage while contributing to the progress of the Philippines.
This doesn't come as a surprise as Michelle's paternal grandmother Regina Dee was also quite the advocate—founding the non-profit, non-sectarian Inner Peace Foundation.
Meanwhile, Michelle's paternal great grandfather Yu Hung-Chun, also known as OK Yui, was a Chinese political figure who served as mayor of Shanghai from April to November 1937 and minister of finance under the administration of President Chiang Kai Shek in November 1944.
ENCHONG DEE
The Filipino-Chinese actor became the face of Yeng Constantino's popular song Chinito, released in 2013, which spotlighted men who have small slanted eyes or chinky people.
In 2014, Enchong gave his perspective of the song with his own version, Chinito Problems, which is about his regrets for failing to notice a wonderful girl and blaming it on his poor eyesight.
David Licauco
His breakout performance comes in his role of Chinese mestizo playboy Fidel de los Reyes in Maria Clara At Ibarra, who does not appear in Jose Rizal's novel Noli Me Tangere from which the teleserye is derived from.
Born David Alexander Sy Licauco, the 29-year-old actor and model finished college at De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Computer Applications last 2016.
KEN CHAN
Former co-host and performer of German Moreno's Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman, Ken Chan, opened up about some practices his family makes: "My dad is Buddhist so nag-aalay kami every month. Ang tawag po namin doon ay Haha Popi."
In the same interview with GMA-7, he also shared that their house is full of infinity signs, circular objects, money plant, and water fountain for circulation of money.
Kris Bernal
StarStruck Season 4 alum Kristine Ann Tan Bernal-Choi, simply referred to as Kris Bernal, shared in December 2015 a photo of her playing mahjong.
She wrote in the caption: "My grandfather is pure Chinese. But while growing up, my family did not stress the practice of Chinese culture and customs.
"I don't speak Mandarin at all nor I am obliged to marry a Chinese man! Anyway, support support din ako sa bisyo ni mama with my aunts."
In 2021, Kris exchanged "I dos" with businessman Perry Choi.
SLATER YOUNG
Among the famous podcaster couples in the Philippines are Slater Young and wife Kryz Uy, who often talk about growing up in a traditional Chinese household.
Typically, in an episode uploaded on January 13, 2023, the couple talked about their Chinese upbringing.
Kryz said, "There's this Chinese phrase that they use. I forgot what it is but something like, ‘Children don't talk. Children just listen or have eyes, but they don't say anything.’"
Slater confirmed in the same vlog, "It's always, you go to the children's table. If you join the adults' table, you keep your mouth shut. Parang ganyan."
The engineer-entrepreneur entered showbiz via Pinoy Big Brother: Unlimited, where he emerged as the grand winner.
For a short period of time, he dabbled in acting.
Read: Slater Young, Kryz Uy weigh in on the topic of kids as retirement plan
Alodia Gosiengfiao
Anime fans around the globe have most certainly heard of her, the Filipino-Chinese cosplayer and model who introduced the cosplay scene in the Philippines.
As Alodia continues to capitalize on her hobbies, she decided to start her own gaming and esports company, Tier One Entertainment, which she co-founded with Tryke Gutierrez and Brian Lim in 2017.
From 2010 to 2018, she appeared on a number of TV shows and in the movies Tween Academy: Class of 2012 (2011) and Kimmy Dora and the Temple of Kiyeme (2012), to name a few.
Read: 11 Filipino celebrities who were born into wealthy families