Quezon City everything is ready for huge Chinese New Year festivity on Feb.

QC all set for biggest Chinese New Year celeb on Feb.

QUEZON CITY -- Quezon City led by Mayor Joy Belmonte is all set for the city's biggest three-day celebration of the Chinese New Year on Feb.  9-11.

Malacanang has declared Feb. 9, 2024, or a day before the Chinese New Year, as a "Special Non-working Day".

In a press conference on Wednesday (Feb. 7) at the 15th floor Executive Lounge of the Quezon City Hall Main Bldg, Mayor Belmonte said that "These festivities signify our commitment to promoting Banawe as a place to enjoy our unique Filipino-Chinese heritage through a variety of cultural attractions. Local and foreign tourists can take part in many delightful activities during the three-day celebration."

"Magkakaroon din ng pagkakataon ang ating mga kababayan na mapalago ang kanilang kaalaman ukol sa mayamang kultura ng mga kapatid nating Chinese (Our countrymen will also have the opportunity to widen their knowledge about the rich culture of our Chinese brothers and sisters)," Belmonte added.

City Ordinance No. 2453-2015 declared Banawe Street and its environs as the city's very own Chinatown district, which is the largest in the world with a total area of 5,919 square kilometers.

Ma. Cristina Tetta A. Tirona, Officer-in-Charge of the Quezon City Tourism Department, said that Quezon City will celebrate its 85th Founding Anniversary this year.

Tirona added that the year-long Founding Anniversary celebration will start with the three-day Chinese New Year celebration on Feb. 9 to 11.

The first day of the celebration on Friday, Feb. 9 will highlight the Chinatown heritage tour of Banawe, the first of three batches, with 41 media practitioners who have confirmed their presence and 33 purveyors in the Chinatown food fair.

There will be a lion and dragon dance and cultural performances by renowned artists and members the Chinese community.

The program proper will be held on Feb. 10 and the Chinatown bike tour will be held on the second day. 

Highllihting the celebration will be the fireworks display.

The Quezon City Tourism Department Chief expressed the hope that around 100,000 foreign and local tourists will be reached or come and join the three-day celebration.

Quezon City Rep. Arjo Atayde said that he and Mayor Belmonte are very supportive of the projects and programs of the Chinese community in the city considering that they have been providing substantial source of income to the city as well as livelihood to the city residents.

Also present during the press conference were Joaquin Co, President of the Quezon City Association of  Filipino-Chinese Businessmen, Inc. (QCAFBI), said that the three-day Chinese New Year celebration will be the biggest in history.

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Director Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said that they will deploy 250 uniformed personnel to provide crowd security and area security in a major security framework in order to maintain peace and order during the celebration.

He stressed that as of today, they have not monitored any "security threats" that may compromise the order and safety of the three-day Chinese New Year celebration.

Maranan added that Lt. Col. Avenido, commander of QCPD Station 1, will be the ground commander and he will be supervised by Camp Karingal.

Also present was Charles Chen, Chairman of the Quezon City Chinatown Development Foundation, Inc.:Joseph Lim Bon Huan, Immediate Former President of the QCAFBI, among others.

JTR Reports 02070224 -- MHE