Valentine's Day (02/14/14)

Romantic messages on air, flowers and chocolates everywhere, hue of red all over, and the spread out sweet lovers are just some of the signs that Valentine’s Day is on the scene. As what they say, love is indeed in the air during February 14. It is a special day among other 364 days to mark in our calendar that are celebrated particularly by couples all over the world.

For this year’s Valentine’s Day, we went to places that are most visited by couples to take some footages on how they celebrate this special day. I, together with my friends made interviews with different people who came from all walks of life. There are students, employees, parents, oldies and bisexuals who shared their sentiments for this day. And to evaluate all the people we met, they all just fall under two categories: those who are in a relationship and those who are single.

Certainly, love surrounds in all the couples that we have interviewed. We’ve witnessed how love binds their relationship as couples. We have interviewed couples who said that trust is the primary ingredient to make the relationship lasts. However, some also said that it’s the effort to show their affection that counts the most. But no matter what their love story is, how they show their love, or how they shared each day of their lives, there’s only one thing that I’m sure about, and that is they are all happy being with someone they love.

We also met people who were single at the moment. And they voiced out, “Who says that Valentine’s Day is only for lovers?” According to them, even they are not committed to someone, they are happy with their friends to celebrate the day. But at some point, we also noticed that some of our interviewees are looking forward for having a partner for the next Valentine’s Day. And they also admit that at times, they feel envious for seeing sweet couples together.

My friend once joked that Valentine’s Day is said to be Friday the 13^th for singles. It is the time when we heard some bitter lines from them. On the contrary, it is a romantic time for lovers for gift giving and dating.

Now, I won’t go too far. After hearing different Valentine story from other people, it’s time to share how my Valentine’s Day this year is. Well, nothing’s special for my February 14, 2014 because proudly, I belong to the category of singles. . It’s my 18^th year of welcoming the day as single so there’s nothing new about this one. I just go out with my friends and like what I said, we just made some interviews for school purposes. I will be pathetic if I say that I am not envy to those happy lovers that we saw. Indeed, at times, I also came to think when I will meet my partner too. But when and where, only God knows.

Valentine’s Day truly plays an important part in our hearts. Most people are so excited for this to come though there are also not. But at the end of the day, we should keep in ourselves that love shouldn't only be expressed during Valentine’s Day, Christmas Day or any holidays in our calendar. It has to be shown every day, every minute, and every second to all people.

Filipino-Chinese community welcomes Lunar New Year

Kimberly Jane L. Manlapaz

01/31/14

 Manila,Philippines---Thousands gathered today in Binondo, Manila to celebrate the Chinese New Year and welcome the Year of the Wooden Horse.
           Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and other local leaders together with the Filipino-Chinese community lead in mounting the event.

As a traditional practice, the Chinatown welcomed the Lunar New Year with the dragon dance parade and a 30-minute fireworks display which is known to take away bad spirits.

Officials also gave out free tikoy to the attendees which is believed to keep the family ties closer.

And on the first day of the New Year, Filipino- Chinese families went together to Chinese Temple to give thanks for the blessings.

They also came to buy lucky charms and house ornaments which are believed to usher in good lucks and fortune. 
(Photo credits:philstar.com)

How do you celebrate Chinese NewYear?

In line with the celebration of Chinese New Year, I conducted an interview for our subject Online Writing. I asked my Chinese-blooded friends about how they celebrate and welcome the New Year. I also asked them about the rites and practices that they do as part of their celebration.

My first respondent is Curbick Tan Camelo who works as a trainer in a call center firm.  Here’s what he shared:

   “My family just prepares a feast and we eat. That's it. We also give out tikoy. The Chinese community would also go to the temple to pray, put ornaments in their houses, and give red envelopes with money”

                  -Curbick

Another friend of mine who shared their way of celebrating Chinese New Year is Clarizza Merz Chu, a student from Polytechnic University of the Philippines.  Here’s what she said:

“Simpleng celebration lang naman ginagawa namin. Naghahanda ng mga foods, tikoy syempre, fruits.. ahmm..nagdadasal saka nagsusuot ng red na damit. We also offered prayer para sa daddy ko na namatay kasi siya naman talaga ang Chinese-blooded, kami                                                          bale ¼ na lang”    

                                                                        -Clarizza

Lastly, I interviewed Eunice Mariel Chua, a student from Lyceum of the Philippines University.

   “Naghahada lang kami foods tapos kumakain kami ng family ko. Wala naman kami gaanung rituals. Nilagyan pala namin ng fruits yung harap ng pics ng namatay naming lola”

                      -Eunice

  

Chua' Family celebrating the Chinese New Year

Kiong Hee Huat Tsai

New Year is one of China's oldest and prominent festivals throughout the world. It marks the beginning of a new year and a new agricultural season, and is considered a time for loved ones to reunite and take part in traditions designed to bring good fortune and prosperity for the next year.

Chinese New Year is held each year between 21 January and 20 February. And this year, the main celebration was held on January 31. The Chinese calendar's origins can be traced back as far as the 14th century BC. This year's celebrations marked the beginning of the year 4712 on the Chinese calendar.

The Chinese calendar is patterned basically from the lunisolar cycle, meaning to say, their calendar is based on exact astronomical observations of the sun's longitude and moon phases.

The celebration largely takes place in China, naturally, but there are also other countries with a large Chinese population that also mark the day and welcomed the Year of the Wooden Horse. The biggest celebrations outside of mainland China are in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Chinese New Year is one of the most anticipated celebrations here in the Philippines. Even we are Filipinos, we thoroughly embraced the Chinese way of welcoming New Year. Well, it’s not a surprise anymore because of the fact that Manila Chinatown is actually the oldest Chinatown in the world. It’s been here since the 1590’s and so Chinese people have lived here for at least five centuries.

It only proves that there has been a significant Chinese presence in the Philippines even before the Spaniards arrived in the 15th century. In fact, Chinese Filipinos currently number four million, making up five percent of the Philippine population.

Hence, there has been harmonious relationship built among Filipinos and Chinese, way back then. More so, there is a great deal of mutual respect between the local Chinese and Filipinos and because of that, Chinese New Year is actually an official non-working holiday here.

During the Chinese Lunar New Year, Filipino-Chinese communities rejoice the event with festive parades of dancing lions and dragons in Binondo and other part of the country with sizable Chinese presence. This practice is said to attract prosperity, health and wisdom. They also clean the house thoroughly to fend off evil spirits.

A prominent feature of the Chinese New Year festivities in the Philippines is the Chinese sticky sweet treat known as tikoy or Chinese New Year pudding. It is sold in the months of January and February especially for the occasion. Made up of glutinous rice flour, wheat starch, salt, sugar and water, it symbolizes the unity and harmony among friends and family members.

Red envelopes known as “ang pao” are prepared with money inside for wealth. And the same with our tradition, they also prepare various fruits and foods are set out on a table which is believed to bring in good fortune, but the difference is they only provide eight fruits unlike us with twelve. This is because number eight signifies good luck in Chinese.

The traditional lucky charms are also bought and displayed in the home in order to usher in abundance and good energy and to sweep away the bad lucks.

Feng shui is one of the famous customs during Chinese New Year. Feng shui experts are very famous in foretelling the year ahead as well as in providing lucky charms and advices on how to keep the good fortune.

These are just some of the famous practices and beliefs that prevail during this season of Chinese New Year. Filipinos actually adapt most of the Chinese belief most specially the concept of luck and fortune. But at the end of the day, no one can predict the future ahead of us, only God. And most importantly, hard work, perseverance and faith will be the best lucky charm in the world to pursue our dreams.