ILOILO City – This southern city’s Chinese New Year celebration, the biggest outside Manila, continues to be a strong testament to the strong bonds between the Ilonggos and the Chinese-Filipino community or Tsinoys for over 20 years.
It was during the first term of Mayor Jerry P. Treñas in 2002 that the annual Chinese New Year celebration started. The late Mrs. Fanny Lao Uy, who served as president of the Iloilo Multi-Sectoral Business Organization, Inc., and other Filipino-Chinese leaders such as Fr. Manny Uy, Andy Go, Charles Ho, and Francis Te, were instrumental in its inception.
Since then, the Chinese New Year festival has consistently highlighted the significant contributions of the Tsinoy community to Iloilo City whether in business, employment, education, or cultural affairs, as well as their strong collaboration with the city government that has positively impacted its development.
“For over two decades, the celebration has been a symbol of our friendship and unity of our communities through culture, tradition, and mutual respect. With this, I am truly grateful for the continuous support of our partners, who have made this occasion a much-awaited event year after year,” Treñas expressed during the Chinese New Year launching program at SM City Iloilo.
This year’s festivity is themed “Providence: A Celebration of Grace, Gratitude, and Growth” to welcome the Year of the Wood Snake.
“It is a time when we come together to celebrate the diversity that makes our city stronger. This event reflects the heart of Iloilo — a city that embraces the traditions of all its people and one that is proud to showcase the beauty of our shared experiences,” he added.
The city mayor thanked the Filipino-Chinese Community; the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI) chaired by Rito Carlos L. Peña and president Allan Ryan L. Tan; and Fr. Joseph Raymund Patrick Sanchez, SJ, the taskforce chairperson and president of this year’s host Ateneo de Iloilo-Santa Maria Catholic School, as well as other Chinese schools, for making this year’s celebration bigger and more meaningful than ever before.
To note, this is the first time that the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand will serve as a bigger venue for the festival highlights – the cultural show and fireworks display today.
Iloilo City is home to approximately 15,000 Chinese-Filipinos; a number of Chinese schools, namely Iloilo Scholastics Academy, Hua Siong College of Iloilo, Sun Yat Sen High School of Iloilo, and Ateneo de Iloilo-Santa Maria Catholic School; and several active and cooperative Chinese-Filipino business organizations such as the Philippine-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry-(PCCI) Iloilo, the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Panay, Inc., (FFCCCI) and the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Iloilo, Inc. (FCCCII).
The downtown area, particularly the Calle Real or old central business district, has become a business location of many Chinese-Filipino entrepreneurs.
Terence Uygongco, president of the FCCCII, mentioned that while some businesses have stood the test of time and remain in the same area, others have expanded and diversified to other various industries.
He expressed that the Filipino-Chinese community has been a key driver of Iloilo City’s economic growth and cultural development, contributing significantly to business, trade, and industry while creating jobs and opportunities for many Ilonggos.
Beyond commerce, their dedication to education, philanthropy, and community service is evident in scholarships, disaster relief efforts, healthcare initiatives, and infrastructure projects.
He added that the legacy of hard work, innovation, and generosity of the Tsinoys here continues to shape Iloilo’s progress, making them an invaluable partner in building a prosperous and inclusive city.
“Here in Iloilo City, our ancestors and we, the younger generations, have found a home. More than just business owners and residents, we are part of the Ilonggo community, contributing to making Iloilo City a thriving and better place to live and do business,” Uygongco said./PN
