Two large business groups on Wednesday backed Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte’s road to economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the entire Filipino-Chinese community anticipates the celebration of the Chinese New Year on Sunday.
At a news conference organized by the city government, Wilson Flores representing the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. congratulated Belmonte for the revival of the traditional Banawe Chinese New Year celebration to welcome the Year of the Water Rabbit.
“I am here to represent FFCCII president, Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong. He is sending his congratulations to the city and the celebration of the Chinese New Year (in Banawe),” he told reporters.
“This is not only important for the economy but also good for tourism. We are proud of Quezon City and the mayor. I heard from action officer Al Flores that Mayor Joy has received 150 awards last year, and many other awards for being business-friendly from the Department of Trade and Industry and the others. Chinatown in Quezon City is not only that beautiful but the mayor has transformed it into an entertainment capital,” he said.
He lauded Belmonte for being “a very good leader, a proactive one.” “FFCCII believes the Rabbit Year is a very good year for the economy. Let us support the Chinese New Year in Quezon City,” he said.
The city is the most business friendly city in the country to recover first, he added.
On the other hand, Joaquin Co, Quezon City Association of Filipino Chinese Businessmen Inc. president, said the return of the Chinese New Year celebration two years after a hiatus is “a very good year for everybody.”
“Let us drive away all the bad luck and welcome the good luck,” he told the conference.
Belmonte thanked the city’s Filipino-Chinese business owners and operators for their support.
“We are too lucky. We are a good governance advocate to put in place measures to cushion the impact (of the pandemic),” she said.
She credited the increase in the city’s sources of local revenues to being a “trust-worthy government” and to its “good intention for the people.”
“All of our money went to ayuda, and that the people really felt the city’s help. Up to now, we are still giving fuel subsidy to our tricycle drivers and operators’ associations,” she noted.