Baguio-Chinese community launches Spring Festival

Year of the Fire Rooster 

BAGUIO CITY’s Filipino Chinese community and city government have begun the month-long celebration of Spring Festival 2017.

The launch of the festivities, held at the Baguio City Hall quadrangle last Jan. 9, was followed by the opening of the art exhibit, “Kawitan Ti Sanglay”, last Jan. 12 at the lobby lounge of Hotel Supreme Convention Plaza. Up next on Jan. 24 will be the annual gift-giving project of the Chinese community to the indigents of a barangay, which this year has been identified as Barangay Lower Quirino Hill.

The celebration will peak with the Grand Parade on Jan. 27, the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year, to welcome the Year of the Fire Rooster.

Peter Ng, chairperson of the committee on parade, said Baguio City’s celebration “will be different” as they will give away more candies and freebies during the grand parade on Jan. 27.

The Traditional Dinner and Awards Night with city officials and dignitaries will also be held at the Diamond Grand Ballroom of Hotel Supreme Convention Plaza at 7 p.m.

As a tradition, everyone is expected to be home for the family reunion during Chinese New Year’s Eve, when the young greet and honor their elders, who in turn talk to them about such virtues as honesty, respect, patience, compassion and charity.

Cursing is definitely a no-no and offerings are burned to honor the departed. Firecrackers are lighted to drive away evil spirits and to usher in the new year.

Ng said that on Jan. 28, which is the start of the Chinese Lunar Year of the Fire Rooster Celebration, the Baguio Bell Church Community will open its doors to the indigents of Baguio City and La Trinidad during its annual community gift-giving program at the Bell Church Grounds starting at 2 p.m.

On Jan. 28, children are expected to greet their parents and relatives, who distribute “Ang Pao” or “Lai See”, a red envelope containing money, either in coins or notes, for good luck and wealth.

Family members also exchange gifts, wear new clothes, get a haircut and visit temples.

People born in the Year of the Rooster – 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 and 2017 – are known to be confident, intelligent, responsive, distinctive, smart and earnest.

Being strict with themselves is their strongest characteristic. They are deep thinkers, considered to be honest, bright, communicative, ambitious, capable and warm-hearted, with strong self-respect, and they seldom rely on others.

They have a quick mind but can be hot-tempered.

They like to dress up and be neat. They are enterprising and are reluctant to fall behind others.

Hating dawdlers, they are well-organized that they complete things according to their plans.

At work, they put forward distinctive ideas and solutions about the development of the company.

They have enviable prospects for promotion in their early years, though at times, they can be impatient, overconfident and preachy. -- Philippine News Agency