Puerto Princesa City celebrated Tuesday the “3rd Chinoy Festival”, marking the fifth day of the week-long celebration of the Chinese New Year.
Vice Mayor Luis Marcaida III said the event was aimed at commemorating the “solidarity, close friendship, trade cooperation, and good fellowship” between the Philippines and China.
Marcaida authored an ordinance in 2016 institutionalizing the “Chinoy or Fil-Chi Festival.”
“Sa mahabang panahon naging maayos ang ekonomiya natin, kahit noong unang panahon pa ay nandito na ang mga local Chinese natin. Gusto nating pasalamatan sila. Sila ang talagang nagpalaki rin ng ekonomiya ng Puerto Princesa, kaya gusto nating lingunin ‘yong kanilang ginawa para sa ekonomiya ng lungsod,” he said.
The festival was highlighted by various arts and cultural shows, Chinese New Year parade, and the famous lion and dragon dance.
Fireworks display, acoustic performances, and the Ms. Chinatown 2019 Coronation Night were also held on February 5.
The festival also wanted to show appreciation to the contribution of not only the Chinese people but of the Chinoys or Fil-Chi (Filipinos of Chinese descent), who served as employers of the locals.
Records of the City Tourism Office (CTO) also showed that Chinese nationals are second among the top five foreign guests in the city for 2018.
“At least makikita nila na while they are here na, ‘Uy dito pala sa Puerto Princesa they are honoring the friendship of Chinese and Filipino.’ So makakadagdag sa kanilang enthusiasm na, ‘Subukan nating magdagdag ng bisita dito o dalasan pa natin ‘yong pagpasyal dito, mukhang maganda ‘yong policy ng pamahalaan dito sa lungsod tungkol sa mga local Chinese,” Marcaida said.
Marcaida also said the celebration will be another tourist attraction of the city that will boost the local economy because it will encourage more investments, he said.
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