Chinese New Year - Year of the Water Dragon

For the first time, the Philippines celebrate the Chinese New Year as a non-working holiday throughout the country.

In Proclamation No. 295 issued last Nov. 24, Philippine President Benigno Aquino said the declaration of the Chinese New Year as a special non-working holiday would give both Chinese- Filipinos and Filipinos alike the opportunity to celebrate the holiday.

A special non-working holiday in the Philippines means there will be no classes in schools and public and private offices will be closed.

"On Jan. 23, 2012, Chinese nationals all over the world will celebrate Spring Festival, popularly known as the Chinese New Year, which is one of the most revered and festive events celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines by both Chinese- Filipinos and ordinary Filipinos as well," President Aquino said in the proclamation.

Aquino said that the joint celebration "is a manifestation of our solidarity with our Chinese-Filipino brethren who have been part of our lives in many respects as a country and as a people."

It's More Fun In The Philippines 2012

“It’s More Fun in the Philippines” is the slogan of a tourism campaign launched by the Filipino government in January 2012. Mainly due to its similarity to the 1951 Swiss tourism slogan “It’s More Fun in Switzerland,” the phrase has since become a subject of captioned parodies.

The slogan “It’s more fun in the Philippines” was developed for a campaign by ad agency BBDO Guerrero/Proximity Philippines for the Philippines Department of Tourism. The website itsmorefuninthephilippines.com

Viva to Santo Nino De Tondo 2012

The feast day of Sto. Niño in Tondo is celebrated in the third Sunday of January. The fiesta in Tondo has the biggest participation in Manila, not only because Tondo is the most populous district in the city and poorest but perhaps because of the many anecdotes connected with the Sto. Niño of Tondo. According to Philippine Historical Commission, the peoples of Tondo celebrated the feast day with a fluvial procession that “attracted thousands of visitors.” Tondo’s terrain at that time consisted of waterways and tributaries which were connected to Manila Bay, a probable reason why the present stone church of Tondo was constructed on elevated ground (several meters above sea level) to prevent sea waters from inundating the Church.