BACOLOD City – Organizers of the 11th Bacolaodiat Festival hope people will forget their worries as they join the local Chinese New Year celebration. During the opening of the three-day celebration on Friday at the 887 Premier Mall, festival director Jennifer Ong appealed for a trouble-free festival. Suspended Mayor Monico Puentevella and the group of Acting Mayor Greg Greg Gasataya graced the festival opening. Both parties pledged to release the supposed P4-million financial assistance to the event organizers once the city’s 2016 annual budget is approved, said Ong. The city government was not able to release the cash assistance in time for this year’s festival; the Sangguniang Panlungsod is barred from tackling anything in its session until the annual budget is resolved. Filipino-Chinese community leaders William Ong, Ben Lopue, Andres Valenci, Alfredo Barcelona and others also graced the festival opening. Puentevella joined the parade and the opening of the Imperial Village and Chopsticks Alley at the North Capitol Road but he was not present during the opening program at the mall. Also present during the opening were Gasataya’s political allies headed by Grupo Progreso leader Rep. Evelio Leonardia, Acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Councilors Em Ang, Caesar Distrito and Roberto Rojas. Leonardia laud the Filipino-Chinese community for pushing for the festival despite finance constraints. It was during Leonardia’s term as city mayor 2005 when the first Bacolaodiat Festival was held. He patterned the festival from the Chinese New Year celebration in Iloilo City after visiting the place with some Chinese businessmen./PN BY MAE SINGUAY Panay News February 7, 2016
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