THE Bacolod City Council approved the P5 million financial assistance for the 14th BacoLaodiat Festival on February 1 to 5.
Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairperson of the City Council committee on finance, said Friday, January 11, the festival will be managed by the Filipino-Chinese community and the share of the City Government is to allocate the budget for the festival.
BacoLaodiat was coined from the name of the City of Bacolod and the Fookien word “laodiat” which means happy celebration.
Among the highlights of the festival is the BacoLaodiat Lantern Dance Competition.
In December, 16 groups participated in the screening in Young Tho Taoist Temple, but only eight groups have passed the screening.
These are Carlos Hilado Memorial State College-Alijis, Balow Dance Group, Granadianz, Double J Full Force, Choi Force, and Rustylian as well as last year’s champion, BMD, and first runner-up, Jojaju.
The guidelines of the competition were already discussed by Rudy Reveche to the representatives of the eight competing groups along with Bacolaodiat Parade coordinator Kim Chauven Villaluna. (MAP)