Binondo greets Chinese New Year with dragon dance, fireworks

Filipinos and tourists joined the festivities in Binondo, Manila on Sunday night to celebrate the Chinese New Year, a report on Unang Balita on Monday said.

A traditional dragon dance and sounding of the gong heralded the coming of the Year of the Fire Monkey.

MORE: Nakahanda na rin ang mga lion dancers para sa countdown sa Binondo, Maynila. @dzbb pic.twitter.com/qfOlX9WMDv

— James Agustin ??? (@_jamesagustin) February 7, 2016

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada led the tikoy cutting. Tikoy is a glutinous rice cake considered lucky by the Chinese.

Various establishments held their own countdowns to the new year.

Ongpin Street, one of the main roads in Binondo, was filled with vendors selling lucky charms such as monkey figurines and food items, especially those round-shaped.

MORE: Hindi rin mawawala ang mga bilog na prutas, malagkit na kakanin, at tikoy. @dzbb pic.twitter.com/uqs7tiRPLL

— James Agustin ??? (@_jamesagustin) February 7, 2016

MORE: Mabenta na rin sa Binondo ang mga pampaswerte para sa Chinese New Year. @dzbb pic.twitter.com/E9Iddg3z23

— James Agustin ??? (@_jamesagustin) February 7, 2016

Being sold for a limited time is the banana tikoy worth P250.

People also took turns taking photos beside the giant ube tikoy measuring 36 inches in diameter and weighing more than 300 pounds.

MORE: Atraksyon sa Ongpin St. Binondo, Maynila ang tikoy na ito na 6 inches ang kapal at 3 ft. ang diameter. @dzbb pic.twitter.com/gWe1Kis2dT

— James Agustin ??? (@_jamesagustin) February 7, 2016

Fireworks illuminate the skies above the world's largest Chinatown arch a few steps away from Jones Bridge in Binondo, Manila during the countdown welcoming the Chinese Lunar New Year on Monday, Feb. 8. Danny Pata

Fireworks at midnight capped the celebration. —KG, GMA News