BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan commended the officers of the Baguio-based Filipino-Chinese community for their significant contributions to the growth and development of the country’s undisputed Summer Capital over the past several decades.
The local chief executive claimed even if the Filipino-Chinese community is not being asked to extend help for the needs of the city and its residents, the officers and members take it upon themselves to contribute in whatever way they can just to help those in need, especially during and after natural and man-made calamities.
“We will be leaving public office soon but we are not yet finished in providing help to people who will need such assistance and we will do the same in our own private capacity,” Domogan stressed.
The outgoing mayor was one of the inspirational speakers during the 18th celebration of the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day last Monday at the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Garden within the city’s Botanical Garden along Leonard Wood road.
Aside from being the backbone of the city’s economy, Domogan pointed out that the Filipino-Chinese community always plays a key role in effective and efficient disaster risk response and relief assistance.
He urged the Filipino-Chinese community to give to the incoming city officials the same support they provided him when he was the janitor of the city over the past several years.
According to him, the officers and members of the Filipino-Chinese community are one of the easiest people in the city to be approached for whatever assistance when the local government needs the same thus it is best for the said individuals to continue rendering civic and voluntary work for the benefit of the greater majority of the populace.
Peter Ng, chairman of the Filipino-Chinese executive committee, said the established Filipino-Chinese Friendship Garden at the Botanical Park will serve as a living testament to the enhanced relationship between the Filipinos and Chinese nationals in the city.
He claimed the relations established by the Filipino-Chinese community with the present administration will be sustained and enhanced in the coming months so that the bond that has kept the Filipino-Chinese community and the local residents will remain beneficial more people in the city’s barangays.
Ng expressed his gratitude to the local government for being the first political subdivision in the country to institutionalize the celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year by enacting a local legislation for the said purpose and providing the needed funding support to ensure the smooth conduct of the activities that will be lined up by organizers for the annual celebration.
Ordinance No. 18 series of 1999, institutionalized the annual celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year and appropriated the needed funding support to guarantee the uninterrupted celebration of the Spring festival and the same has been going on for over two decades now.
By Dexter A. See
Banner photo: FILIPINO CHINESE FRIENDSHIP DAY – Baguio City officials headed by Mayor Mauricio Domogan and officers of the Baguio Filipino – Chinese Community in a ceremonial launching of the Chinese Garden Marker inside Botanical Garden in celebration of the Filipino – Chinese Friendship Day. Lito Dar/PIA CAR, 06/16/19