Financial meltdown fails to dampen celebrations

Revelers swayed and danced in the streets of Iloilo City and Bacolod as well as Cadiz City unmindful of the global financial meltdown and its local impact and the rising number of jobless and laid-off workers.

In Iloilo City, a crowd estimated at 1.2 million jostled for a chance to witness the finals of the Dinagyang competition on Sunday. And in Cadiz City, the sight was the same as hundreds crowded the city plaza for the Ati-Atihan of Dinagsa, the local title of the city’s celebration which commemorates the stranding 35 years back of a school of whales.

In Bacolod City, it was the Bacolaodiat, which reached its climax yesterday. The celebration of the Chinese New Year saw Filipinos mixing and sometimes, even outnumbering Tsinoys in celebrating the advent of the Year of the Ox.

Leonito “Diotay” Lopue, this year’s Bacolaodiat chairman, summed up the perception by the Bacolod Chinese community: “It does not mean that if there is a recession we will surrender… we have to find ways and means to help uplift our economy.”

Lopue is one of the sons of the late Benjamin Lopue Sr., who operated a string of mini-malls in various parts of Negros Occidental and the bigger malls in Bacolod.

In Iloilo City, despite the previous statement by Mayor Jerry Treñas discouraging presidential and other aspirants for national office, former Senate President Manuel Villar and Sen. Mar Roxas as well as Sen. Francis Escudero made their appearance at the celebration. So with others such as Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Jamby Madrigal, and Ramon Revilla Jr., and Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando, who was accompanied by his wife, Marikina City Mayor Marides Fernando.

But there were some foreign dignitaries, including Alistair MacDonald, who heads the European Commission delegation in the Philippines; Chinese Consul General He Shijing, and several World Bank executives.

Treñas declared during the Kasadyahan contest on Saturday that it is clear that Iloilo has recovered from the devastation of typhoon “Frank.”

Bacolod’s Bacolaodiat

There was again no indication that local celebrators felt the impact of the global financial crisis. On Saturday, black-clad dancers lit up and danced during the lantern competition.

And on Sunday, 10 groups swayed their way through Lacson street toward the Capitol Shopping Center from the Bacolod plaza. They displayed lighted ball-shaped and lotus-like lanterns while upbeat Chinese music played.

On Sunday, Fr. Noli Que, pastor of Our Queen of Peace Parish, led the opening prayer that kicked off the dragon dance, followed later by the grand parade from SM south Terminal.

Filipino-Chinese associations, students and the faculty of Chinese schools, wushu dancers, high school bands and Amity dancers displayed their dancing prowess. So with the 10 participating groups in the dance lantern competitions.

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia hopes the 4th Bacolaodiat Festival will become a regular feature of the city’s calendar to lure more tourists to the city.

Undoubtedly, the Bacalaodiat featured colors and a lot of surprising sights, including multi-colored lanterns, the giant ox lantern as well as the snorting ox that lit up the festival site.

All these colorful activities, however, failed to dampen the developing storm over the new business permits. Also drawing up their petition are subdivision owners who declared the alleged failure by the city to consider the “recession” by exacting astronomical increases in local taxes, which the Sangguniang Panglunsod recently passed.

On Saturday night, I was with a group of businessmen and subdivision residents who told me that realty taxes rose astronomically, and so with business taxes.

So, it’s not exactly true that they did not mind the global financial meltdown. Temporarily, yes, but the celebrators have felt its impact and what it is doing to them. Thus, with the increased business permit fees and other local taxes, including land taxes, there is a strong current of protest developing in Bacolod.

Bacolod, though, also has something more to celebrate. It won the overall championship in the 2009 Smart National Amateur Boxing Championship. This is something to celebrate, as it has earned Bacolod the prestige of being the boxing center of Western Visayas.

Well, for the moment, the celebrations, and after that, the difficulties when the harsh realities set in.