Tag: Bacolaodiat Festival

Bacolaodiat Fest ‘makes us prouder’ of Bacolod City: mayor

BACOLOD CITY — Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the staging of the Bacoloadiat Festival, the city’s celebration of the Chinese New Year, makes the people of Bacolod prouder of the city.

“It is a morale booster for all of us. It makes us prouder of our city and makes us involved,” said Leonardia, who led the ceremonial lighting of the Bacolod Government Center on Friday night to officially open the festival’s 14th edition.

Bacolaodiat was coined from the words “Baco” for Bacolod and “Lao Diat,” a Fookien word for celebration. This year’s celebration is set from February 1 to 5.


. Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia (2nd from right), with Councilor Em Ang (2nd from left), and 2019 Bacolaodiat Festival chair Oddette Ong-Gomez (right), leads the ceremonial lighting of the Bacolod Government Center to officially open the 14th edition of the Bacolaodiat Festival on Friday night (Feb. 1, 2019).
Photo by Nanette L. Guadalquiver

The Lunar New Year will be celebrated on February 5, based on the traditional Chinese calendar, and 2019 will be the year of the Earth Pig.

The Bacolaodiat Festival, a brainchild of Leonardia himself, is being held at the Bacolod Government Center for the first time, and on opening night, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) performed before thousands of Bacolodnons.

“Probably, this is the grandest opening ever. Just the mere presence of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra is something that makes this a cut above the rest,” the mayor said.

Leonardia said the presence of the PPO in Bacolaodiat is most symbolic for the city. “Having the Philharmonic Orchestra here reminds our people that if you look at the orchestra, it is a group of different musicians, different instruments, with different sounds and tempos, and yet because they are united, they have only one purpose. They play beautiful music together,” he said.

The mayor noted that what he wants to see in Bacolod is that while each resident is a different individual with different agenda, interest, and characteristics, still there is harmony and peace among them.

“If we can only join our hands together, if we can be like the Philharmonic, this city will move and accelerate to its highest heights,” he said.

Oddette Ong-Gomez, chair of the 2019 Bacolaodiat Festival, enjoined the people of Bacolod to take part in the festivity.

“The Bacolaodiat, Inc. is happy and proud to present to you the 14th Bacolaodiat Festival. We are equally happy for the strong support of the local government, as well as the cooperation of the Filipino-Chinese community,” she said during the opening program that followed the motorcade on Friday afternoon.

“We wish that this Year of the Pig brings good fortune and good health to everyone,” Ong-Gomez added.

The festival also features the Imperial Village, which is hosting various food stalls serving some Chinese cuisine, inasal, and lechon, as well as cooking demos and Asian arts and crafts.

On Saturday, the annual cultural show will be held at 6 p.m. to be followed by the performance of Manila-based Hokkien-style Chinese opera, Kao Ka, and the Lantern Dance Competition.

On Sunday, the Bacolaodiat Street Dance Competition will start at 3 p.m., while the Parade of Mascots, at 4 p.m.

At 4:30 p.m., the Lantern Dance Competition will move to the Goldenfield Commercial Complex. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1060832

Security preps up for 5-day Bacolaodiat Festival

BACOLOD CITY — The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) will deploy at least 1,400 police personnel and force multipliers to secure the Bacolaodiat Festival, this city’s celebration of Chinese New Year, from February 1 to 5.

This year’s main festival site, the Bacolod City Government Center grounds, will be provided round-the-clock security during the five-day festivities.

Chief Insp. Lester Leada, acting head of BCPO’s Operations Unit, said in a press briefing on Friday the police aim for zero major incident and reduce the occurrence of the eight focus crimes by 30 percent.


SECURITY PLAN. Chief Inspector Lester Leada, acting head of Bacolod City Police Office Operations Unit, presents the security plan during the 1st Inter-Agency Coordinating Conference on Security Preparations for Bacolaodiat 2019 held at the BCPO Patnubay Hall on Friday (Jan. 25, 2019).
Photo by Nanette L. Guadalquiver

“We also want to reduce the fear of crime and increase the level of confidence of stakeholders during the staging of the festival,” Leada added.

Last year, between 50,000 and 70,000 revelers attended the Bacolaodiat staged in two festival sites, police data showed.

Leada said the security forces will include about 1,000 police personnel, including the BCPO’s own 600 policemen and about 400 augmentation from Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas).

The remaining 400 personnel will comprise volunteers from rescue units and anti-crime groups, he added.

Before the press conference, Leada presented the security plan for this year’s festival during the 1st Inter-Agency Coordinating Conference on Security Preparation for Bacolaodiat 2019, held at the BCPO Patnubay Hall. It was attended by police station chiefs and representatives of various law enforcement agencies.

On February 1, the festival will kick off at 4 p.m. with the Dazzling Grand Motorcade from Lacson St., passing by the Bacolod Public Plaza before proceeding to the Bacolod City Government Center.

It will be followed by the opening of the Imperial Village and ceremonial lighting of the Government Center.

At 6 p.m., the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra will hold an open-air concert.

The opening night will be capped by the Symphony Lights and Sparks fireworks display and the Lunar Music Festival.

One of the festival highlights, the Bacolaodiat Street Dance Competition, will be held at the Goldenfield Commercial Complex starting 4:30 p.m. on February 3. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1060064