As restrictions on movement and mass gatherings are still in place, the Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration, which is slated for February 12 this year, will be celebrated online in Davao City.
Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte on Monday, February 1, during her regular program ‘Special Hour with Mayor Inday Sara Duterte’ on 87.5 Davao City Disaster Radio, said that the Chinese New Year will be celebrated online this year since mass gatherings are still prohibited in the city due to health risks from the COVID-19.
“There will be a celebration online also, for Chinese New Year. That will be discussed with the Chinatown Development Council. We have that council when we want to talk matters about Chinese New Year and other developments diha sa identified Chinatown area nato diri sa Davao City” Mayor Duterte said.
She also suggested some alternatives on how to celebrate the Chinese New Year amid the pandemic.
“What we can do is play recorded music or recorded video of a dragon dance or a lion dance and we can look for other activities na pwede nato buhaton on our own para masunod gihapon atong tradisyon pagsulod sa Chinese New Year,” she added.
The mayor also reminded everyone that aside from the alternative activities, physical performances in stores are still not allowed.
“[Ang] Dragon dance ug lion dance dili sya buhaton didto sa mga tindahan because it will attract people to gather para motan-aw,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Dan Salvaña Jr., the event organizer of the 2021 virtual Chinese New Year Program, said that the virtual event will highlight previous Chinese New Year celebrations in the city.
“This will be the first time to celebrate it online because of the restrictions. This will be a throwback of the celebrations, so kahit may pandemic, the pandemic will not stop the Filipino-Chinese communities in celebrating the Chinese New Year,” he said.
Among the personalities expected to grace the virtual celebration are Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, Consul General Li Lin of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Davao, and a representative from the Davao City Chinatown Development Council.
The virtual event will be made available online through the city government’s social media account on New Year’s Eve on February 11.
Chinese New Year, which falls on February 12, Friday, is a special non-working day under Proclamation 986.
According to the Chinese zodiac, 2021 is Year of the Metal Ox…. CIO, Michael Manguhig RPN Dxkt Davao