Geline Salac

500,000 flock to Jones Bridge for Chinese New Year countdown

Article (news)

Chinese New year countdown 2025

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<p>Around 500,000 citizens gathered at Jones Bridge in Binondo, Manila to welcome the Year of the Wooden Snake on Wednesday midnight.</p><p>A 25-minute fireworks display and drone show lit up the sky in honor of the 50th anniversary of Chinese-Filipino Diplomatic Relations.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/1/27/celebrate-chinese-new-year-with-festive-dining-1348">Celebrate Chinese New Year with festive dining</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/events/2025/1/24/chinese-new-year-2025-lucky-dishes-and-new-outfits-to-welcome-the-year-of-the-snake-1855">Chinese New Year 2025: &#x27;Lucky&#x27; dishes and new outfits to welcome the Year of the Snake</a></div><p>“Year after year, we will renew the longstanding friendship between China and the Philippines,” Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna said in her keynote speech.  </p><p>Candidates of Mister and Miss Chinatown Philippines also graced the event, including Eliza Nicole Adviento, the reigning Miss Chinatown Goodwill titleholder.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S9Dk1kmqKiU?&amp;t=23s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>“It’s my first time seeing the drone show and I was mesmerized by it,” Adviento said.</p><p>“I really loved the part where the handshake of the Filipino and Chinese is being represented. It just shows how beautiful our friendship is.” she added.</p><p>Rose Anne Montanien, 25, brought her trolley speaker and showed off her energetic dance moves alongside her fellow Sanggunian Kabataan members.</p><p>“Gusto lang po namin makisaya sa mga kapwa nating Chinese. Worth it yung pagod namin kahit late kami. Nakita pa rin namin yung ganda ng fireworks,” said Montanien.</p><p>Temporary road closure were enforced near Binondo during the event, according to the Manila Public and Information Office.</p><p>Emergency medical response teams and officers from the Manila Police District were also on standby in case of emergencies.</p><p>Prior to the event, Binondo held a Prosperity Tree lighting ceremony at Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz on January 25.</p><p>The festivities will continue at 2 p.m. with a Golden Parade at the Manila Post Office, showcasing lion and dragon dances, floats, and cultural performances that celebrate Chinese-Filipino traditions.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qCvt2uoeD5M?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Around 500,000 citizens gathered at Jones Bridge in Binondo, Manila to welcome the Year of the Wooden Snake on Wednesday midnight.</p>

Around 500,000 citizens gathered at Jones Bridge in Binondo, Manila to welcome the Year of the Wooden Snake on Wednesday midnight.