BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan expressed the gratitude of the local government to the members of the Filipino-Chinese Community living in the city for their significant contributions in the growth and development of the country’s undisputed Summer Capital, especially in providing the people with sustainable jobs and sources of livelihood.
The local chief executive said that the members of the Filipino-Chinese Community are the backbone of the city’s economy because of their owning big businesses in the different parts of the city that have grown through the years and served as job generators for qualified residents and sources of livelihood for the people living in the city’s 128 barangays.
“We thank your brothers and sisters belonging to the Filipino-Chinese community for their continuous support to the growth and development of our city. We attribute to the members of the Filipino-Chinese Community the status of the city as one of the most developed cities of the country because of their big businesses that were able to be erected in the different parts of the city,” Domogan stressed.
He underscored the Filipino-Chinese community can always be relied on because they are the ones who are at the helm in extending whatever assistance to the people, especially the victims of natural and man-made calamities that have visited the city in the past.
Officers and members of the Filipino-Chinese community graced the regular Monday flag-raising ceremony of the local government to participate in the launching of the activities that were lined up for the celebration of the Spring Festival or the Chinese Lunar New Year this coming week.
Domogan commended the Filipino-Chinese Community for always at the forefront in extending whatever needed assistance to people that are in dire need of help through their spirit of voluntarism worthy of emulation by the people living in the city considering that it is always better to extend assistance rather than be the one to be provided with assistance.
He expressed confidence that the relationship of the Filipino-Chinese Community and the people of the city will continue to be stronger in the coming years because of the annual celebration of the Chinese Luna New Year which is a partnership between the local government and the Filipino-Chinese community.
Baguio City was the first local government in the country to institutionalize the celebration of the Spring festival through the enactment of Ordinance No. 18, series of 1999 that made the celebration of the annual Chinese New Year as part of the important celebrations of the city.
Among the initial activities that were lined up by the local government for the celebration of the Spring festival include the annual barangay gift-giving activity, the Chinese New Year Parade and the recognition of the outstanding members of the Filipino-Chinese community during a testimonial dinner that will be called for the said purpose.
Last year, the Filipino-Chinese community celebrated the Year of the Earth Dog while this year the Year of the Earth Pig will be celebrated that will start on February 5, 2019.
Domogan encouraged the people to support the activities that were lined up for the celebration of the Year of the Earth Pig to continue strengthening the bond among the people and the members of the Filipino-Chinese community.
By Dexter A. See
Banner photo on file by Joesph B. Manzano
