While the presence of ethnic Chinese communities in Southeast Asian economies is widely studied, their chosen forms of political expression are less well documented. Formed to mediate between the Chinese community and the local governing body, the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry has been the focus of ethnic Chinese economic and political power in the Philippines since the 1950s. This book traces its development and the challenges it faces as it promotes the integration of the ethnic Chinese into the local population. Using it as a case study for the broader issue of leadership, this book also explores the political and economic ties of the ethnic Chinese, and their future in an increasingly politically articulate and socially diverse culture.