Florence Yap Tong

Currently I am a freelance Mandarin and Fookien language teacher but my passion in on research work and teaching. My college thesis is entitled "The Social Cost of Smoking (Philippine setting)". I got a grade of 1.0 (highest score) for it as a requirement for my college degree in B.S. Business Economics at the University of the Philippines (Diliman) back in 1980.I was born and raised in Manila to parents of Chinese ethnicity. While my mother was alive, I have traveled quite a lot around Asia, America and Europe. I am interested in doing part-time work on a project basis through the internet. I am quite proficient with computer navigation and fluent in English, Mandarin, Fookien and Filipino.
During my high school days, I have been a consistent honor student and active in the scouting movement. I have taken on leadership and trustworthy positions such as patrol leader, troop treasurer, secretary and assistant girl scoutmaster.
I took up dentistry for a couple of years. But when my father died suddenly and left the family fortune in the negative, I voluntarily shifted course to B.S. Business Economics so as not to financially be a burden to the family. During the rest of my college years, I worked partly with the family business.
When the family business had regained its financial stability, I left to work at one of the top 5 banks at the time----PCI Bank. I was then working as a computer analyst, programmer and trainer.