All roads lead to Binondo on Lunar New Year | ABS-CBN

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All roads lead to Binondo on Lunar New Year

All roads lead to Binondo on Lunar New Year

Alexis Carlo Corpuz,

Raphael Bosano,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Jan 29, 2025 05:51 PM PHT

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All roads lead to Binondo on Lunar New Year
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Already a busy street on a regular day, festivities were taken several notches higher in Binondo during the Lunar New Year.

Manila's Binondo, arguably the country's most popular Chinatown, was bustling with activity Tuesday night as people, many donning red, flocked to the capital city to welcome the Chinese New Year with good food, souvenirs, and loved ones.




Red lanterns lined the street while charcoal smoke from several grills wafted in the air, mixing with the strong smells of Chinese cuisine. Bright lights from cheap toys grabbed the attention of little children as booming music from loud speakers forced vendors to whisper-shout their prices to haggling customers.  

The crowd was not for the faint-hearted. People jostled for space while trying to take photos of and with performers. On the sidewalk, long lines formed for the usual Chinese fare such as tikoy and hopia. Hectic for sure but still festive, tempers kept from flaring by the overall upbeat mood. 

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More than a kilometer away, people offered prayers at the Seng Guan Temple in Tondo, Manila. Others though came just to watch dragon and lion dancers, believed to attract good luck.

At the stroke of midnight, the Manila sky lit up as people cheered the fireworks and drone show over Jones Bridge to cap off the celebrations.

The revelry continued in the afternoon with a grand float parade.

Hundreds, if not thousands, gathered in various streets around Binondo not just to watch colorful floats but even more so to catch the trinkets, giveaways and Chinese angpao (money envelope) from the floats.

Members of the Filipino Chinese youth are hopeful the year of the wooden snake would bring unity and prosperity.

“Sana everybody. Sana mas maunlad yung mga negosyo natin. Sana mas maraming income natin,” said Steve Chua, Vice President of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Associations of the Philippines’ Youth Committee.

While the Chinese New Year is usually filled with a list of things to do and not to do for good luck and prosperity, Feng Shui experts have repeatedly said that it should not be the sole basis for decision making.



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Duterte senatorial bets pitch platform promises to Manila barangay leaders

Duterte senatorial bets pitch platform promises to Manila barangay leaders

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

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Handout photo, Team Atty. Jimmy Bondoc

MANILA — Six out of nine senatorial candidates of Duterte-led Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP-Laban) took their campaign to the local level in a meeting with 180 barangay chairpersons in the city of Manila.

The “unity gathering” was organized by Barangay 670 chair Aleyah Bidua on Sunday, February to show support for the senatorial bets of the former ruling party of which former President Rodrigo Duterte is chair.

Present at the meeting were Sens. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Christopher  “Bong” Go, former Local Government Undersecretary Jayvee Hinlo, actor Phillip Salvador, former Presidential Adviser for Northern Luzon Raul Lambino, and former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. board member Jimmy Bondoc.

Vlogger “Boss Dada” joined the meeting as representative of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who is in jail while facing qualified human trafficking and sexual abuse cases.

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'TEAM SUKA'

Most of Duterte’s senatorial bets capitalized on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s comments about their lack of qualifications as they referred to themselves as Team Suka.

Bondoc meanwhile highlighted what he called “Duterte principles” of anti-criminality, anti-drugs and anti-corruption.

He also hit the blank items in the bicameral conference report of the 2025 national budget, which the Palace said were not in the enrolled bill sent to Marcos Jr. for his signature.

“P241 billion under our noses in-insert, pinaglaruan… nag-file ako ng kaso. Tapos sasabihin nila suka kami? Wala daw kaming kayang gawin?” Bondoc said.

Bondoc was reacting to the President's criticism that Duterte's candidates seem to lack experience.

“Nagtataka nga ako parang ‘yung mga iba na naging kandidato eh nag-deliver lang yata ng suka eh nabigyan na ng certificate of candidacy dahil walang ikukumpara sa ating mga kandidato," Marcos Jr. said this week, referencing a Filipino idiom for people who are unprepared and unqualified for complex tasks.

(I am really wondering because some of the other candidates were only sent out to deliver vinegar but were given a certificate of candidacy because they are no comparison to our candidates)

Lambino for his part also underscored the need to combat corruption for the country to attain self-sufficiency.

“Mura po ‘yung mga pagkain sa probinsya, sa nayon, pero hindi po nakakarating sa Kamaynilaan ang karamihan kaya mahal ang pagkain, kulang sa suplay,” he noted.

He also took a swipe at administration’s senatorial slate, Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas by making a reference to a debunked video alleging drug use by Marcos Jr.

Dela Rosa, Salvador and Hinlo meanwhile lambasted the “ayuda” dependency allegedly being perpetuated by the government through programs like the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations and Ayuda sa Kapos Ang Kita Program social welfare programs.

'VOTE PDP LABAN TO PROTECT VP DUTERTE'

Salvador wants to focus on job creation and senior citizen’s welfare while Hinlo said he advocates for developing regions and agriculture.

They also asked the village officials to vote only for the PDP Laban bets, with Hinlo emphasizing the need to secure votes to prevent the unseating of Vice President Sara Duterte.

“Lahat kami dapat makapasok para ‘pag nakapasok yung lahat ng PDP-Laban vote straight kayo. Wag niyo na dagdagan ang 10, 11, 12. Makadagdag pa ‘yan sa kabila,” Hinlo said.

(All of us need to get in. But if you check our names on the ballot, don't check those of others. That will just add to the numbers of our opponents)

Go, for his part, highlighted the need to prioritize delivering health services to the public.

“Magkakaroon po ng mahigit 700 na super health centers sa buong Pilipinas… pagdating ng panahon ‘yan pa ang pararamihin natin dito sa Maynila,” he said.

Quiboloy representative “Boss Dada” meanwhile also urged the local officials to vote for PDP Laban bets if they do not want VP Duterte to be unseated.

He said Quiboloy would serve as the Senate's "moral compass" if elected.

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