CDO city gov’t, Fil-Chinese community join hands for Lunar New Year celebration

Mayor Rolando Uy (in red shirt and sandals) joins the dancers performing the dragon dance in front of the Cagayan de Oro City Hall during the start of the week-long celebration of the Lunar New Year on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. MindaNews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO

CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 17 January) — The city government has teamed up with the local Filipino-Chinese community for the celebration of the Lunar New Year, City Information Office Ivy Guantero said as dancers performed a dragon dance to the rhythm of cymbals, gongs and a big at City Hall on Tuesday.

“This is a week-long celebration. Together with the Filipino-Chinese community here, we are hoping the Year of the Rabbit will usher prosperity and hope,” she said.

Guantero noted that the local business community took a beating in the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said they are hoping the Year of the Rabbit would usher in a rebound for local businesses.

“We are crossing our fingers and wish the rabbit will be kind to us this year,” she said.

The official said City Hall employees would be given tours around the Bell Church, a Filipino-Chinese temple and a major cultural site in barangay Macasandig here starting Tuesday afternoon.

“There will be dragon dance performances along streets occupied by Filipino-Chinese traders for the entire week,” she said.

She said there would also be a dragon boat race along the Cagayan de Oro River on January 21.
She said there would be a festival fireworks display at the Bell Church in Barangay Macasandig on Saturday evening. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)