For more than six decades of unprecedented growth and camaraderie amongst the members, the aims and ideals of the association as well as continuous promotion of the Chinese culture and tradition has been preserved.
Far from their home in China, our forefathers started an association in 1933 at Espeleta Street. The members who joined, shares the same surname, KHO. In 1936, the association was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, thus the "Philippine Kho Family Autonomous Association". The membership grew, evolved and flourished into what it is now, solely funded by contributions of its members.
During World War II, while the Philippines was under Japanese invasion, the building at Espeleta Street was bombed destroying all the important documents, papers, minutes, as well as pictures contributed by the members. Meetings and conferences were put on hold as it was banned by Japanese rule. After the war, the few members of the association decided to hold their first meeting at one of the member's venue at South Pacific Insurance, Inc. There, they discussed the rebuilding of their "home", the election of officers, the sourcing of funds, and the recalling of its past members.
The proposed multi-purpose building was a three-storey structure, with the ground floor rented out and its proceeds used for funding the association's numerous projects. The second floor was made the conference room as well as a venue for other functions and activities. The third floor was set as the place for ancestral worship wherein Kho family members gathered together and pay their respects. The association took an active role in society during these times of crisis wherein the Philippines was recovering from the ills of war. The members pooled their contributions and gave it to charities helping out the less fortunate. They also gave out scholarship funds to deserving students and helped out their own members who were financially broke.
As years passed, families have grown in numbers as well as the membership. During gatherings, the association's home was getting smaller due to the big crowd that came together, hence a new and bigger home was proposed. Like the past years the new home was funded by contributions donated by its members. It is the building where the present association is situated ,at Narra St. The structure was 4-storey high, with the first two floors rented out and the two succeding floors used as a multifunctional floor and a floor for ancestral worship.
In 1970, the title of the association was changed to what we now know as "Philippine Kho/Co's Association. With the progress of the association came in new officers and new by-laws to help facilitate its growing numbers and aiming to leave behind a great legacy to the next generation. All this would not have happened without the continuous cooperation and support of its members. In 1985, the association was renewed its registration with the SEC and changed its name to "Philippine Kho's Association, Inc."
