BSL assures continued Chi-Noys support to gov’t
AS DAGUPAN City celebrated the Chinese New Year last January 23, Mayor Benjamin Lim, himself a Filipino of Chinese descent, said the government can count on the –Filipino-Chinese community to lend its support to developmental projects.
“The Filipino-Chinese community has supported many endeavors of the government and will continue to [do so],” Lim said, speaking on behalf of the 7,000 Sino-descendent Dagupenos engaged in trade and service in the city.
Extending his New Year greetings in Chinese, English, Filipino and Pangasinan languages, Lim acknowledged the presence of Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, his political opponent but a fellow Filipino-Chinese.
Before Lim spoke, the ceremonial entrance of the Lion dancers and the Laughing Buddha, the God of Wealth from the Philippine Tarlac City KianTiak Institute (PTCKTI) and an extravagant 10-minute fireworks display awed the audience, followed by the entry of public officials and different Chinese groups led by Lim.
Engr. Edison Soriano, president of the province’s Chinese school Universal Institute (PUI), delivered welcome remarks. Fernandez also delivered a message, while George Chua Cham, president of the Dagupan Filipino-Chinese Community Association of Panda Volunteers (DFCCAPV), gave the closing remarks.
Performances highlighting the theme of this year’s fete enthralled the audience and learned to appreciate the Chinese culture from the performances of the Kung Fu Fan Dance and a Chinese cultural dance from the PUI; drum exhibition, Chinese Baby Lion’s Dance and Fan and Flower Dance from the PTCKTI; and the Song of the Geese was belted out by pupils from the Oakridge International School.
Participating Chinese associations were the Pangasinan Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PFCCCI), Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI)-Pangasinan Chapter, Philippine Progressive Mason Club Inc. – Central and Northern Luzon Chapter, Dagupan Chinese Musical Association, Philippine Chinese Amity Club-Dagupan, Pangasinan Universal Institute Board of Trustees, DFCCAPV, Metro Dagupan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Divine Word Academy of Dagupan (DWAD) Alumni Association and the PUI Alumni Association.
The program culminated with another grand display of pyrotechnics and a raffle of Chinese rice cakes known as tikoy. (CIO)
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