The Manila Public Information Office (MPIO) has announced that several roads will be closed starting Tuesday to facilitate the Chinese New Year festivities. The Binondo-Intramuros Bridge will be inaccessible from 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, while other key routes like the Northbound and Southbound lanes of Jones Bridge, Quintin Paredes Street from Padres Burgos Avenue to Dasmariñas Street, Plaza Cervantes, and the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge will be closed starting at 9 p.m. on the same day.
Alternative routes have been designated for motorists during these closures. For instance, vehicles from Reina Regente Street heading towards the Southbound lane of Jones Bridge should turn left at Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz, then right onto Noberto Ty Street, right onto Yuchengco Street, and left onto Ongpin Street to reach their destination. Other suggested detours include using McArthur or Quezon Bridge for those coming from P. Burgos Avenue or Taft Avenue, and utilizing A. Soriano Avenue and Anda Circle for those heading towards the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge from Magallanes Drive.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna and China Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian will spearhead the Chinese New Year activities on Tuesday. They will participate in the lighting of the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch, which marks the entrance to Manila Chinatown, at 10 p.m. This event will be followed by the simultaneous illumination of four other similar arches across the city.
The arch leading to Chinatown symbolizes the enduring friendship between Manila’s residents and the Chinese-Filipino community. After the lighting ceremony, Lacuna and Huang will proceed to Jones Bridge for a program leading up to the midnight countdown to the Chinese New Year on Wednesday. The countdown will be accompanied by a vibrant fireworks display and a drone show, with city officials and representatives from Manila-based Chinese-Filipino organizations in attendance.
A grand thanksgiving parade is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Wednesday around the Manila Chinatown area, also to be led by Lacuna and Huang. The festivities kicked off last Friday with Mayor Lacuna lighting the Prosperity Tree or Money Tree at Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz.