Dagupan to hold grand Chinese New Year celebration

Sunday, January 22, 2012

DAGUPAN CITY -- The Filipino-Chinese community in the city joins the whole country in celebrating the Chinese New Year Monday.
 
The City Government in partnership with the Chinese community prepared a grander celebration to usher in the incoming Year of the Water Dragon.

Several days ago, the Festival Tree of Peace in front of the Museo na Dagupan was redesigned with Chinese decors and lights. Chinese lanterns were also placed strategically along the main streets of central Dagupan.

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The Bangus Welcome Arcs in the city were donned with large dragon decorations, the lampposts in the downtown area were also decorated with Chinese lanterns.
 
Mayor Benjamin Lim will lead the celebration, which will start with a parade at 3 p.m.  He will be joined by the different Chinese associations here together with the dragon and lion dancers of Philippine Kian Tiak Institute of Tarlac.
 
The Dragon and Lion dancers will briefly stop at establishments along its path to spread good fortune it carries. To keep up with the tradition, the visited establishment is expected give the dancers "ang pao" or a red envelope containing the cash offering, which color is believed to ward evil spirits off.
 
The program to be held at the City Plaza Auditorium will start at 7 p.m. at the City Plaza Auditorium. There will be presentations from the Pangasinan Universal Institute (PUI) and Oakridge International School.
 
Chinese rice cakes locally known as "tikoy" will be given away to the audience through a raffle draw. Also, the organizers prepared 2,400 pieces of one-sixth kilogram tikoy paired with a packed drink for free taste.
 
Accordingly, street children under the wings of Liwawa ed Asinan Foundation (LEAF), a non-government organization headed by Lina Tan, will likewise enjoy the said delicacy as separate servings are reserved for them.
 
A whole-day Chinese food fair showcasing local Chinese restaurants and a lucky charm merchandise bazaar will also be set up at the Senior Citizens Park in the City Plaza.
 
To be distributed to the participants are 100-peso worth stubs which they could use to buy meals in any food fair stall.
 
The city first had a Chinese New Year event last year held at the Dagupan City People’s Astrodome. Inspired with its success, Mayor Lim said early on that this year’s celebration will be bigger and grander for the people to enjoy, and for those who don’t have Chinese lineage, to learn more about the Chinese culture.
 
January 23 is a special non-working holiday as proclaimed earlier by President Benigno Aquino III.