Rains dampen New Year countdown in Rizal Park

MANILA, Philippines – The heavy rains significantly diminished the crowd in Rizal Park in Manila awaiting the countdown to New Year’s Day.

National Parks and Development Committee (NPDC) executive director Elizabeth Espino said only about 300,000 people showed up in Rizal Park from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1 compared to the average crowd size of a million.

“There were fewer people who came for the New Year countdown in Rizal Park this year compared to last year. This might be because of the heavy rains. But even if it rained the in and out of people still reached 300,000,” she said.

Espino said the rains also dampened the festive New Year’s Eve revelry in other areas in Metro Manila, particularly along Roxas Boulevard where thousands had camped out to witness the fireworks display.

Roxas Boulevard was closed to traffic on Thursday, New Year’s Eve, for the revelry, forcing motorists to take alternate routes.

Espino said the closure of Roxas Boulevard could have contributed to the decrease of people going to Rizal Park.

Some people might have decided to welcome the New Year in other venues that were also hosting their own countdowns, such as in the Mall of Asia, at the University of Makati in Makati City, and at Eastwood, Quezon City, thus dividing the crowd.

But despite the low turnout of revelers, Espino still believed that their countdown was a success.

“I am satisfied with the turnout because those who came and watched the artists who performed at the concert were happy. It was still a party for them because they were familiar with the bands who performed,” she said.

The park goers also enjoyed watching the fireworks that lasted for 15 minutes.

But even if it rained that night, some park goers decided to stay overnight under a makeshift shelter.

Since there were fewer people, Espino reported that there was less garbage collected.

“We only filled about six trucks of garbage and by 8 a.m. of Jan. 1, the park was already clean,” she said.

Still, the environmental group EcoWaste Coalition lamented that the unrestrained garbage disposal following the New Year revelry was “totally unacceptable.”

Rains to continue

The rains, however, will continue due to the prevailing northeast monsoon and the tailend of a cold front, according to the state weather bureau.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Administration said the northeast monsoon will continue to affect Northern Luzon, while the tailend of a cold front will persist in the eastern section of Central and Southern Luzon this weekend. – With Rhodina Villanueva, Helen Flores