BACOLOD CITY – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) will deploy 495 personnel to secure this year’s Bacolaodiat Festival here beginning February 4.
BACOLAODIAT Inc. Vice President Bobby Cordova, Jennifer Gochangco-Ong, Oddette Ong-Gomez, festival chairman John Stephen Sy, and Councilor Jason Villarosa answer questions in a press briefing on the Bacolaodiat Festival at the lobby of the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) on Thursday, February 1. (Glazyl Masculino)
Police Capt. Joel Portos, deputy for the city operations management unit of the BCPO, said that security personnel include intelligence operatives, convoy security, and those assigned to Police Assistance Desks (PADs).
Portos said full deployment of policemen will be on February 8 in preparation for the highlights of the festival from February 9 to 11.
Aside from the uniformed personnel, Portos said that they will also tap force multipliers to ensure peace and order in festival sites – the North Capitol Road and Lacson St. as well as the Megaworld’s Upper East and other secondary sites.
This year, the festival celebrates the Year of the Wood Dragon. Highlights of the festivities kick off on February 9 with the Bacolaodiat Street Dance Competition featuring six official contingents dancing on 13th to 5th Lacson Sts.
This will be followed by the opening of the Chopsticks Alley and the Imperial Village offering a diverse array of Asian cuisines and showcasing intricate Chinese arts and crafts, including calligraphy and interactive booths.
The annual evening cultural show, titled “A Night in the Middle Kingdom,” will showcase performances from various sectors, including different Chinese schools in this city.
The FGS Yuan Thong Temple will conduct Dharma prayers and host the traditional Hitting of the Bell at midnight, marking the beginning of the Year of the Wood Dragon.
A conferment ceremony designating businessman Lucio Co as the adopted son and honorary mayor of Bacolod City will be held at the Bacolod City Government Center on February 10.
Ayala Malls Capitol Central will host the Dragon Fantasy Costume Contest, adding a touch of fantasy to the festival’s offerings with eight participants.
On February 10, the Bacolaodiat Lantern Dance Competition will be held on three vibrant stages on Lacson St. – the North Capitol Road, 6th St., and the 13th Lacson St.
A lunar music festival will cap the night and a grand fireworks display will light up the sky with the theme “A Symphony of Lights and Sparks.”
Cosplay enthusiasts will showcase their creative prowess during the Chinese Cosplay Invasion on February 11 where an array of costumes will be on display SM City Bacolod.
The city government has allocated P5 million for the Bacolaodiat Festival.