Bacolod celebrates 7th BacoLaodiat fest

Friday, January 20, 2012

THE City of Bacolod and the Chinese and Filipino-Chinese communities will celebrate the 7th BacoLaodiat festival starting Friday until January 23 to welcome the Chinese New Year.

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson and members of the City Council along with the Bacolaodiat Inc. chaired by Dr. Leonito Lopue will officially open the four-day festivities.

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A dazzling grand parade will kick off the festivities. The parade will take off from SM City Bacolod and proceed to Lacson Street through Rizal Street.

At 4:30 p.m. Friday, the Chopstick Alley along North Capitol road will be officially opened to the public. At the Chopsticks Alley, authentic Chinese food and cuisine will be made available for the public to buy and enjoy their unique tastes.

A cultural show will follow at 6:30 p.m. at Chopsticks Alley stage.

Leonardia and the Bacolaodiat Inc. officials invited everyone to come and celebrate the Chinese New Year with the Chinese and Filipino-Chinese communities in Bacolod City.

Bacolaodiat started with Leonardia and then Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas as both mayors held a twin celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Bacolod and Iloilo have always been “sister cities” long before the actual signing of their “twinning” sometime last year. Most of the families in Bacolod have their roots in Iloilo and both cities owe most of their progress to the Chinese immigrants who established businesses in both cities.

Both cities decided to emphasize their appreciation of their Chinese-Filipino brothers and their positive influence in the culture and even attitudes, especially in business, by joining them in the celebration of the Chinese New Year.

“Bacolaodiat promises fun and educational entertainment, as we appreciate the positive influence of Chinese culture in ours,” said Leonardia.

“This being the year of the dragon, our Tsinoy friends and Bacoleños, in general, will enjoy the display of the various dragon manifestations: metal, fire, water, wood and earth,” he added.

Old Chinese folklore states that dragons have control over the four forces of nature - water, rainfall, hurricane and floods. The dragon also symbolizes potent and auspicious powers, thus, the Chinese Emperor usually uses the dragon as a symbol of his imperial power.

These dragon manifestations have inspired the various dragon lanterns that surround the fountain at the foreground of the Government Center, with the 3-story dragon balloon lording over them.

Twelve dragon designs vied for the best dragon lantern design, the judging of which was conducted last January 18 but the announcement of the winners will be held on the January 23 – the culmination of the Chinese New Year celebration.

The NGC, being the center of celebrations in the City of Smiles, will be the venue of the culminating rites.