Is “hopia” valid to prove that Alice Guo is not Chinese?
During a House quad-committee hearing, a conversation about “hopia” was raised and Alice Guo is not eating it as she insists that she is Filipino.
Is this the same as Liza Soberano saying she loves “sinigang” just to prove that she is “Filipino enough” to play her character in the Philippine mythology-based teleserye Bagani?
Kidding aside about this meme that went viral online, it seemed like a new meme will be born because of another food item, hopia. This is a famous Filipino pastry that is flaky and crispy outside but sweet and soft on the inside because of its filling. This is often enjoyed as a snack or dessert and during a House quad-committee hearing, this pastry was served as a snack to congressmen and resource persons.
Hopia has Chinese origins and was introduced by Fukienese immigrants to Filipinos in the early 1900s. The term means “good pastry” in Hokkian, this is the dialect in Southern Fujian and Taiwan. This is also featured during Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival tradition as a cheap version of moon cake.
During the said hearing, dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo took the opportunity to assert she’s Filipino by refusing to eat hopia – a topic that was just randomly raised. Co-chairman Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. turned to the former mayor and asked her:
“Alice, hello. Kumakain ako ng hopia, oh. Alice, kumakain ka ba ng hopia?”
She shook her head in response which earned a follow up question, “Hindi? Chinese ka, hindi ka kumakain ng hopia? Bakit ako Filipino, kumakain ako ng hopia?”
Seeing an opportunity regarding the lingering issue about her nationality, she said, “Ako po siguro ‘yung Filipino… hindi po ako kumakain ng hopia.”
Last June, it was confirmed by the National Bureau Of Investigation that Guo Hua Ping and Alice’s fingerprints matched. Guo Hua Ping is a Chinese national who went to the Philippines on January 12, 2003. She is a Chinese passport holder and based on the documents from the Board of Investments, the Guo family applied for a Special Investor’s Resident Visa (SIRV).
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