City officials have institutionalized the Mid-Autumn Festival in Baguio and provided for the guidelines in the conduct of the annual gathering.
Under Ordinance 90, s. 2023, the city shall officially celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival annually on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Lunar Calendar coinciding with the full moon, or on a date determined by the Mid-Autumn Festival executive committee.
The Mid-Autumn Festival executive committee shall serve as the steering committee.
It shall be chaired by the city mayor and co-chaired by the city administrator with a representative from the Association of Baguio Chinese-Filipino Youth, Inc. as action officer.
Members of the committee are the chairperson of the council committee on tourism, special events, parks and playgrounds; City Engineer; City Environment and Parks Management officer; and the City Tourism officer.
The festival shall be held at Session Road as the central location for the activities to include cultural performances, installation of food stalls, and conduct of family-oriented activities.
The ordinance mandated the city government to encourage participation from the different cultural communities in the city as well as collaboration with relevant cultural and community organizations.
The city council stated that institutionalizing the annual Mid-Autumn Festival will not only strengthen the city’s cultural identity but will also contribute in the promotion of tourism and local businesses through increased public participation in the activities that will be lined up for the festival.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Cake Festival or the Lantern Festival, is a traditional East Asian gathering held on the 15th day of the 8th Lunar month which usually falls in September or early October.
The festival is marked by a variety of customs and traditions such as lantern lighting, family reunions, the giving and sharing of moon cakes, and the appreciation of the full moon which symbolizes unity and harmony.
The city council said it is a traditional and culturally significant celebration observed by Chinese communities around the world, including a sizable population of Filipino-Chinese in the city.
It embodies values such as family unity, cultural heritage, and community cohesion while also encouraging inclusivity and inter-cultural exchange in the diverse city.
The festival, according to the council, has grown in popularity in the city over the years with a plethora of cultural events, community gatherings, and festivities organized by local Filipino-Chinese associations and residents.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture comparable in popularity to the Chinese New Year. – PIO release
