Chinatown party slated

A week before Chinese New Year, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza has announced preparations for the celebration to welcome the Year of the Water Horse, which starts on Feb. 12.

Atienza said the celebration will be held in Binondo, known as the city’s Chinatown. In coordination with the Chinatown Development Authority (CDA), Atienza said the city government has slated a four-day celebration that will kick-off on Feb. 8, with the mayor leading the ceremonial lighting of the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch at the entrance to Chinatown along Quintin Paredes street.

Council Miles Roces, CDA chairman, said Atienza would also lead the lighting of the Chinese dragon lanterns along the same street.

The lighting of the friendship arch and lanterns, Roces said, would be followed by a variety show, a lion dance and a Chinese cultural presentation. Candidates for Miss Manila Chinatown will be presented during the show.

On Saturday, Roces said a group dance competition will be held at the corner of Quintin Paredes and Ongpin streets.

Atienza will lead the Chinese New Year parade on Feb. 11 in the Binondo area. Roces, along with other city government and CDA officials and members of the Manila Chinatown Barangay Organization and non-government organizations, will join the affair. The city government’s celebration of the Year of the Water Horse is supported by the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and other non-government organizations. — Cecille Suerte Felipe