MANILA Mayor Honey Lacuna and China Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian will lead the activities leading up to the ushering in of the Chinese New Year, beginning with the lighting up of the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch which leads to the Manila Chinatown.
According to City Administrator Bernie Ang, vice chair of the Manila Chinatown Development Committee (MCDC) which is headed by the mayor as its chairman, there will also be simultaneous lighting up activities of four other similar archs located in other parts of the city.
Lacuna said the arch leading to Chinatown was built as an iconic testament to the long-running friendly relations between the city of Manila residents and the members of the Chinese-Filipino communities.
Manila, she further notes, in home to the oldest Chinatown in the world, as it celebrated its 430th year of existence just recently.
After the arch lighting slated at 10 p.m., Lacuna and Ambassador Huang will walk toward Jones Bridge where a program will be held prior to the countdown to the start of the Chinese New Year at 12 midnight.
The said countdown will be followed by a colorful fireworks display and a drone show and is also expected to be attended by city officials and representatives from the various Chinese-Filipino organizations based in Manila.
At around 2 p.m. of the Chinese New Year itself, or on January 29, a grand thanksgiving parade will be held around the Manila Chinatown area also to be led by Mayor Honey Lacuna and Ambassador Huang and in celebration of the long-running good relations between the city government and the Chinoy organizations within Manila.
