BAGUIO CITY – “Through thick and thin, the Filipino-Chinese community have steadfastly stood by the city and can always be relied on in good times and bad.”
Mayor Benjamin Magalong made this assertion in his message during the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) launching Monday at the Baguio City Hall grounds conducted by the city government and the Baguio Filipino-Chinese community.
The chief executive thanked the chinoys for unselfishly contributing their time, talent and treasure in achieving a better Baguio and a better life for everyone.
He also revealed that the Baguio-Filipino Chinese community will be constructing a pagoda and rehabilitating the nursery at the Botanical Garden.
“May the special relationship with our brothers and sisters of the Filipino-Chinese community continue for many years to come,” Magalong stressed.
For his part, Festival chairman Peter Ng said the celebration aims to strengthen the historic cooperation, amity and unity between the various ethnicities of the city and the Filipino-Chinese community.
This being the Year of the Metal Rat, Filipino-Chinese artist Chino Chow explained that since it is the first animal in the 12 animal Chinese Astrology, 2020 is considered a year of new beginning and renewals.
This year’s celebration include a media fellowship night on January 16, 6:30 pm, at Hotel Supreme; barangay gift-sharing at a still undisclosed venue on January 21 at 2:30 pm; New Year celebration of Bell Church and gift-giving program on January 25, 1 pm, at Bell Church grounds.
The Grand Colorful Parade is on January 27 with assembly time at 1 pm, Upper Session Road while the parade will start at 2:30 pm traversing the city’s main thoroughfares and end at the Melvin Jones Grandstand at Burnham Park.
Capping the celebration is a dinner awards and fellowship night starting seven in the evening at Hotel Supreme.
The city council passed ordinance number 18, series of 1999, “officially recognizing the annual observance and celebration of the Chinese New Year in the City of Baguio and making it a policy of the city government to support it by coordinating with and assisting the private sector responsible for the planning, formulation and implementation of the programs and activities thereof”.**gaby keith
