Baguio launches Chinese Spring Festival Jan 13

By Gaby Keith

BAGUIO CITY – The city government and the Baguio Filipino-Chinese community will formally launch the Summer Capital’s Spring Festival Celebration and Chinese Lunar New Year 2020 on Jan. 13 starting 8 a.m. during flag-raising rites at City Hall grounds.

The event’s secretariat head Pepito Avena said the program will include messages from Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Rep Mark Go, festival chairman Peter Ng and adviser Kane Chanbonpin.

Filipino-Chinese community officer Chino Chow will explain the significance of 2020 as the Year of the Rat.

A traditional Lion Dance by the Bell Church athletic group will be presented during the program including the unveiling of the celebration’s calendar of activities led by local officials, Filipino-Chinese community officers and other guests.

The activities include a media fellowship night on January 16, 6:30 pm, at Hotel Supreme; barangay gift-sharing at a still undisclosed venue on January 21 at 2:30 pm; New Year celebration of Bell Church and gift-giving program on January 25, 1 pm, at Bell Church grounds.

Avena said the Grand Colorful Parade is on January 27 with assembly time at 1 pm, Upper Session Road while the parade will start at 2:30 pm traversing the city’s main thoroughfares and end at the Melvin Jones Grandstand at Burnham Park.

Capping the celebration is a dinner awards and fellowship night starting seven in the evening at Hotel Supreme.

The city council passed ordinance number 18, series of 1999, “officially recognizing the annual observance and celebration of the Chinese New Year in the City of Baguio and making it a policy of the city government to support it by coordinating with and assisting the private sector responsible for the planning, formulation and implementation of the programs and activities thereof”.