CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — The Filipino-Chinese Community, in cooperation with the local government of Cagayan de Oro City, treats the public to a festival of dances, performances, and Pyro Music Fireworks at the Rio de Oro Boulevard, January 28, to celebrate the rich shared culture of the Chinese New Year among Filipinos and those with Chinese descent.
City Mayor Rolando A. Uy underscores the importance of both cultures, saying, “The Chinese New Year Festival has become a much-anticipated tradition in our city. It is heartwarming to see such a diverse group here, united in honoring a Filipino-Chinese tradition. By being here, we acknowledge that we accept each other, we need each other, and we support and uplift each other.”
Uy thanks all those in attendance as well as the individuals and groups that made the celebration possible.
“We look forward to the Year of the Wood Snake; let us embrace what it symbolizes—wisdom, intuition, and transformation. Let us continue to work together to build a city that thrives on unity, diversity, and mutual respect and understanding,” said Uy.
He wishes everyone, their families, and the city will receive blessings of health, happiness, and prosperity.
Performances set the tone for the festivities and their cultural significance. This included the lion dance, dragon dance, performing martial arts, the art of the Chinese fan, the Bamboo Scroll Dance, Chinese martial arts, and more.
The Oro Trade and Investment Promotions Center (ORO-TIPC) Department Manager John Asuncion said the Filipino-Chinese cultures have long been intertwined—even before the Spanish colonization—saying the shared cultural influences in terms of commerce and trade are still evident in today’s society.
“Wala’y exclusivity diri. Kitang tanan makaselebrar; the same reason nga today, Chinese New Year, gihimo na siya nga holiday,” said Asuncion.
(There’s no exclusivity here. We all should celebrate; the same reason that today, Chinese New Year, has been set as a holiday.)
He said one of the purposes of the Chinese New Year activities was for the mayor to encourage the entire Filipino-Chinese community, especially those who are conservative, to come out of their comfort zone and celebrate in public places to show the residents of the city and let them appreciate and enjoy the festivities of the Chinese New Year.
Asuncion introduced two new activities for year. One is the Chinese Culinary Exhibition featuring two chefs cooking the Chinese way happening on February 2 at 2:00 p.m. at the Limketkai Center.
He also notes that while the Filipino-Chinese community celebrates this festivity—they have had their share of civic programs to help out those in need, especially during the Sendong tragedy and the COVID pandemic.
To give back to the community, a medical and dental mission is set on February 4. The Filipino-Chinese community here partnered with the Chinese General Hospital in Manila, which will provide the medicines for the said outreach activity.
The Department of Health-10, according to Asuncion, will also join in providing pneumococcal vaccines and HPV vaccines for the women.
For his part, John Carlo Reyes Anito, an information officer of the National Irrigation Authority-10, said having a shared cultural experience is evident during the showcase of dances and performances as it shows how unified the Filipino and Chinese cultures are.
“For me, not coming from Chinese descent, the Chinese New Year Festival is a great experience because you would learn and appreciate the culture and how it greatly impacts us now in our traditions, our customs,” said Anito.
He adds that when one respects a specific culture, it would also bring a reciprocal and mutual respect between cultures.
The colorful dances entertained the audiences both onsite and online during the festival. This was made possible by the students of the two known Chinese schools in Cagayan de Oro City—Oro Christian Grace School and Kong Hua School.
Ferrel Ian B. Saplot, a Grade 12 student of Kong Hua School, is among the performers during Oro’s Chinese New Year Festival. Saplot shared his enthusiasm, saying, “Our organization is about promoting Chinese culture and showing us our identity, our passion, our commitment. My experience is super nice and an improvement from last year.”
While he underscored that there have been challenges during their performances, which started on January 27 and will culminate on February 4, Saplot said he is proud of his team’s performances, as it means a lot to them in promoting Chinese culture.
“I love doing lion dance; I love dancing, and this is my passion; this is my hobby, and I like to do this more,” Saplot said.
One of the upcoming activities for the city’s Chinese New Year celebration is the Dragon Boat Race, February 1-2, which is seen to bring in about more than 500 participants to the city. (SAYU/PIA-10)
