MANILA Mayor Isko Moreno and Vice Mayor, now Mayor-Elect Honey Lacuna, thanked the Filipino-Chinese Youth Business Association, Inc. (FCYBAI) for volunteering to beautify, maintain and preserve the iconic Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch in Binondo, home to what is touted as the world’s biggest Chinatown.
On behalf of the city government, Moreno entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the said group which was led by Peter Zhuang and who also signed on behalf of the FCYBAI.
Witnessing the signing was Councilor Numero Lim, who is also head of the Manila International Sister-City Association (MISCA) and author of the Manila City Council Resolution paving the way for the said MOU.
After seeing the proposed renovation of the arch which will come at no cost from the city, Moreno said Lacuna is fortunate since the completion of the said arch will be in a couple of months by which time she is already the mayor.
From there, the group also paid a courtesy visit to Lacuna and then showed her the future look of the said arch and the incoming mayor said she is impressed by it, as she thanked the FCYBAI for volunteering to help Manila have another instagrammable spot.
Secretary to the Mayor Bernie Ang, with whom the FYCBAI first discussed the plan, said that the arch is a donation from Mr. Chan Chau To of Shanghai, China and that under the MOU, all that the city government will provide is the manpower that would be needed which he said is very minimal.
In his resolution ratifying the MOU, Councilor Lim stated that the city of Manila is mandated to maintain and provide for tourism facilities and other tourist attractions under Republic Act 7160.
“The Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch, which is known to be one of the tourist attractions in the City of Manila, for being the tallest and biggest arch in the world, is located at the entrance of Chinatown in Binondo, Manila… the FCYBAI, recognizing the glory and pride it brings to the city and the Filipino-Chinese community wishes to maintain, preserve and further beautify the symbolic arch all on its account,” Lim added.
The Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch was erected in 2015 at a time when Philippine-China relations were being strained by claims of ownership of the South China sea or the West Philippine Sea.
“The bridge was built when our country’s relations with China was at its worst, as a way of showing that the friendship between the two countries remains steadfast and that mutual respect will always be there,” Sec. Ang said
Ang added that the MOU came as a commemoration of the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day which was celebrated last June 9 since former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo designated the said date for the said purpose in a proclamation order.
The Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch, Ang said, will serve as a symbol and testament of the Philippines-China relations that dates back to over 2,000 years already. (Baby Cuevas)
