In a captivating episode of “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” aired in 2015, celebrated broadcast journalist Jessica Soho embarked on a personal quest to explore her Chinese ancestry. The episode, which revisited Soho’s 2007 trip to China, shed light on her family’s roots, tracing back to her grandfather, Soho or Szeto, who migrated to the Philippines from China in the 1930s seeking a better future.
The narrative unfolds with insights from Jessica’s father, Abe Soho, who reminisced about the challenges faced by the Soho family upon their arrival in the Philippines. Despite the language barrier, the family’s patriarch was determined to succeed, an ambition that led him to learn English through a private tutor. Jessica’s uncle, William Szeto, reflected on the harsh realities that drove their family to leave China, pinpointing the Philippines as a beacon of hope.
Jessica’s pilgrimage took her to Kaiping City in Guangdong Province, where she was assisted by the Association of Overseas Chinese in locating Te-ham, the Szeto family’s ancestral town. There, she discovered a school funded and supported by the Szeto clan, a testament to the family’s commitment to education and community development. This school, along with a library and museum dedicated to the Szeto family, showcased the extensive contributions of the Szetos to their community, both locally and globally.
The journey was deeply personal for Soho, who experienced a profound connection to her ancestors as she walked the same paths they once did. The discovery of her family’s extensive lineage, which included a museum and library filled with family records, photos, and history, offered Jessica a tangible link to her past. The museum, run by a fellow Szeto, revealed that the family’s roots extended back to an ancestor who served as an official during the Qing dynasty.
Jessica’s exploration also led her to a village neighboring Te-ham, where she met relatives and even found a woman married to one of her cousins. This encounter, enriched by the exchange of photos and stories, highlighted the interconnectedness of the Szeto family, despite distances and generations apart. The emotional culmination of her journey was a visit to her ancestral home, where she paid homage to her ancestors in a traditional manner, further solidifying her connection to her Chinese heritage.
Jessica Soho’s expedition to trace her Chinese roots was not only a personal revelation but also a celebration of cultural heritage and familial bonds that cross borders and time. Her story exemplifies the profound impact of understanding one’s origins and the enduring influence of ancestry on personal identity and values.