Ilonggo-Chinese Community welcomes the New Year with a Bang!
A grand parade participated by the Filipino-Chinese business and academic community highlighted the weeklong celebration of welcoming the Year of the Water Dragon. The 2012 Chinese New Year officially started last January 23. The city’s celebration of Chinese New Year now on its 10th year is touted as the first and biggest festivity outside of Manila’s Chinatown in Binondo.
Starting last Monday, a myriad of activities such as exhibits, Masses, and cultural presentations dotted the calendar. Filipino-Chinese schools took turns in sponsoring events both in their campuses and in malls here in Iloilo City. The Iloilo Chinese-Filipino Cultural Association (ICFCA) also opened the Chinese Heritage and Heroism Exhibit at the food court hallway of SM City Iloilo in Mandurriao district. Another event, the Filipino-Chinese Trade Expo held at the activity hall of PNB emphasized the relationship of Iloilo City and China.
Truly, Iloilo City is a melting pot of cultures – from the Ati, the religious, from oriental to the Western.
Earlier this afternoon, the culminating event – a grand ethnic and cultural parade had once again gripped the attention of entire Metro Iloilo. The parade was participated by Filipino-Chinese students, faculties, parents, and business leaders.
Influential Filipino leaders such as Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Senator Franklin Drilon also joined in the event.
The parade started in front of Iloilo Capitol in Bonifacio drive, turned left to Iznart, and entered JM Basa. It then turned at Aldeguer Street and went back to Iznart. The parade ended at a stage constructed at Plazoleta right below the newly completed Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch.
The whole Gov. Fermin Caram Street (part of Iznart) was fully closed and had been transformed into an activity area where the cultural presentation was performed. Near the stage, a food festival was also underway well into the night.
A fireworks display will end the event this evening.
The Ilonggo-Chinese community always serves a dynamic and reliable partner of the City Government in providing business and employment opportunities, classroom building activities, feeding programs, anti-dengue prevention campaign, holiday gift-giving to indigents, assistance to peace and order improvement, maintenance of volunteer fire brigades and assistance during disasters and calamities
Here are the highlights of this afternoon’s parade:
Dragon and Lion Dance
Sun Yat Sen High School of Iloilo
Ateneo De Iloilo – Santa Maria Catholic School
Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus
Iloilo Scholastic Academy
Iloilo Central Commercial High School
Bonifacio Drive, in front of Atrium Mall - Iloilo City
Stage constructed at Plazoleta, as if Beijing's Temple of Heaven washed up ashore here in Iloilo City
i think Iloilo Chinese New Year festival is the biggest lunar new year celebration in the Philippines… compared to Binondo that only focus its celebration in Binondo China Town street, Iloilo’s celebration has a series of events like the Chinese culture exhibit at Sm City Iloilo, the Filipino-Chinese expo, the Chinese fashion show among others… Well even famous/prominent Filipino-Chinese leader like Teresita Ang See agreed that our celebration of the said festival here in Iloilo is indeed the biggest in the country.
yes, i guess it’s because the city government and the private sector moved together for these events. The tourism council also included the chinese new year celebration as part of their tourism strategy for iloilo city.
Hi Mark,
I’m ace silva of avida land corp., a brand under ayala land corp.
I was once a resident of Jaro, Iloilo , back in 1996.
May I know the EMAIL,contact numbers / contact person and office address of Iloilo Chinese-Filipino Cultural Associatio(ICFCA?
We will have an event there in Iloilo next month and we’ll invite them.
Here’s my contact numbers 09052170449 and 09473034810.
My email is corporate.cecilia@avidaland.com
Hoping for your reply.
Daghang salamat gid.
Ace Silva
up!