Manila's lion dancers

As dusk falls, a group of Binondo residents in downtown Manila gathers to assemble a DIY wooden platform, transforming a basketball court into a stage where a lion costume is brought to life to the lively sounds of gongs and drumbeats, as onlookers peer through the fences. The dance troupe is led by Jhayvee Sicat, a 31-year-old food delivery rider and member of Philippine Rui Dragon Dance group. He and his dance partner King Noah, 34, and their team of drummers are preparing to defend their title in an upcoming Lunar New Year competition. Sicat began performing the lion dance at age 7, growing up in a family of dragon and lion dancers. They live in a creekside slum, where their family also run a small business making and selling lion and dragon figures. "Hindi lang namin libangan ‘yan, trabaho talaga namin ‘yan," Sicat says. He and his crew also offer their services to clients looking for performances for restaurant openings, birthdays, weddings, and other Chinese cultural events. Sicat even adds that he will fly to Singapore on 19 February to perform. “Ganito sila kaliliit noong sumasama sila sa akin,“ says Sicat’s sister-in-law, Melanie Labriaga, pointing to Sicat’s toddler as she recalls bringing him and the rest of the troupe to Ongpin Street in Manila’s Chinatown to train and perform. “Pagkatapos nila [mag perform] sa isang araw, bibigyan ko sila. Mag McDo silang mga bata.” But since the income is not stable, members of the troupe have taken on flexible jobs to allow them to take breaks when needed so they can focus on their lion dance work. The Philippine Rui Dragon Dance group is set to compete on Sunday, 8 February 2026, hoping to repeat their last year’s luck and bring home the P50,000 cash prize for their family.