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[av_heading tag=’h3′ padding=’10’ heading=’Millions for Bacolod Chinese New Year’ color=” style=’blockquote modern-quote’ custom_font=” size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ custom_class=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
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Monday, December 26, 2016
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BACOLOD City – Organizers of the local Chinese Lunar New Year celebration in 2017 will get from the city government almost double the amount of financial assistance they received this year.
The 12th Bacolaodiat Festival will be held from Jan. 27 to 29 to welcome the Year of the Rooster. It has the theme “Greeting the New Year with Confidence.”
The city government’s financial assistance racked up to P4.5 million for the 2017 edition from P2.5 million this year.
On Dec. 21 the Sangguniang Panlungsod approved the proposed memorandum of agreement with Bacolaodiat, Inc., Mayor Evelio Leonardia’s request for authority to sign the agreement and the P4.5-million aid.
City hall said the financial assistance will be taken from the P2-billion 2017 budget.
The city government has allocations for aid to private and nongovernment organizations and charitable institutions.
PREVIOUS AID
The assistance city hall under then mayor Monico Puentevella gave Bacolaodiat organizers this year was P1.5 million lower than originally promised.
Then vice mayor Greg Gasataya, serving as acting mayor in light of Puentevella’s suspension over a graft charge, vowed to give P4 million.
He asked the city council for an authority to sign a deal with organizers regarding the aid, but the councilors were barred from tackling matters other than the still unapproved P1.8-billion 2016 budget.
The promised aid was not approved in time for the Feb. 5 to 8 celebration. Organizers made do with borrowed money and donations. The festival will still continue, they said, but will be downscaled.
Puentevella vowed to have the P4 million released. But when he returned to office on Feb. 15, the Sangguniang Panlungsod received a new request regarding the aid, and this time the amount was only P2.5 million.
City hall also gave P2.5 million during the 2015 edition, Puentevella then said.
Bacolaodiat is a brainchild of Leonardia, Puentevella’s political rival. It has been jointly held by the local government and the Chinese community every year since 2006, when Leonardia was also mayor.
The festival features lantern dances on streets, cultural shows, giant Chinese zodiac animals, parades, and food fairs, said lead organizer Jennifer Ong.
Events in 2017 include Dazzling Grand Parade, Lantern Street Dance Competition, Chopsticks Alley, Bacolaodiat Imperial Grounds, Lighting of Chinese Lanterns, Cultural Show, Symphony of Lights and Sparks, 108 Beating of the Drums, Bacolaodiat-Robinsons Cuisine Cook-Off, Zumba, and Tai Chi Session.
Bacolaodiat was coined from the words “Bacolod” and “lao diat,” a Chinese phrase meaning “celebration.”/PN
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