Revelers pack a Hong Kong island for a bun festival, a century-old tradition

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong's iconic bun festival drew throngs of revelers to the densely populated city's outlying island, Cheung Chau, to celebrate a century-old tradition that is rooted in prayers for peace and blessings.

Residents and tourists braved the heat to watch children in costumes take part in a parade, called “Piu Sik,” which translates as “floating colors.” Children dressed as legendary deities, historic characters or local politicians were carried on stands above the crowds, moving through the island’s narrow lanes.

The festival highlight is the “bun-scrambling” competition around midnight, where participants climb a tower covered with plastic buns. They have to collect buns, which carry different scores depending on their locations, within a time limit. The one who earns the highest total score wins. But the participant who gets the greatest number of buns in the time allotted will receive the “Full Pockets of Lucky Buns” award.

The race was suspended for decades after bun towers collapsed in 1978, injuring dozens of people. The tradition resumed in 2005.

According to Hong Kong's Intangible Cultural Heritage Office, legends say Cheung Chau was once devastated by a plague and some residents then invited monks and Taoist priests to set up a sacrificial altar near a temple to pray to deities. They also paraded deity statues along village lanes. After the ritual, the plague ceased and Cheung Chau residents have since been organizing the event, also known as the Cheung Chau Jiao Festival, to dispel disaster and pray for blessings for peace and safety, the office said.

The festival has become one of the most popular events for tourists in Hong Kong in recent years. Many people like to buy steamed buns carrying the Chinese characters for “peace” and “safety” or souvenirs modeled on the buns.

A participant performs a lion dance in the Piu Sik Parade at the Bun Festival in Cheung Chau Island in Hong Kong, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

"Ping On" buns are prepared for sale for the Bun Festival in Cheung Chau Island in Hong Kong, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

A child participates in the Piu Sik Parade with a replica gas station price sign model at the Bun Festival in Cheung Chau Island in Hong Kong, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

A child is hoisted up during the Piu Sik Parade at the Bun Festival in Cheung Chau Island in Hong Kong, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

A child is hoisted up as participants take part in the Piu Sik Parade at the Bun Festival in Cheung Chau Island in Hong Kong, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

ANGELES, Philippines (AP) — A nine-story building under construction in a city north of the Philippine capital of Manila collapsed before dawn and at least 21 people were missing Sunday morning, authorities said.

Rescuers were “hearing voices” in the rubble, while 24 workers managed to dash to safety or were rescued, police and other officials said.

The building collapsed after a fierce thunderstorm in Angeles City in Pampanga province. More than 100 police and other government personnel were scrambling to rescue those believed to be trapped in the rubble, police Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez said.

Mendez and other officials at the scene said there were no immediate reports of deaths but some of those who got out safely sustained injuries.

Among the 21 people who remained unaccounted for, most were believed to be workers at the building, according to Francis Pangilinan, who heads Angeles City’s disaster mitigation office and was at the scene.

Two other people, including a Malaysian tourist, were injured when their lodgings were hit by debris from the collapsed building, officials said.

Rescuers including firefighters, police and disaster-response teams used their hands and sniffer dogs in a dangerous scramble to search for the trapped survivors, Public Works Secretary Vinzon Dizon told reporters near the rubble of concrete slabs, twisted iron bars and other debris.

“There are some signs of life ... There are voices that are being heard,” Dizon said, adding that rescuers were moving with extreme caution. “It’s a very very unstable site and the priority is to get the people out.”

Angeles City hosted one of the largest U.S. Air Force bases outside of the American mainland until it closed in the early 1990s, helping develop Angeles and outlying cities and towns into entertainment and commercial hubs in the main northern Philippine region of Luzon.

The former air base, now called the Clark Freeport Zone, is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Metro Manila.

Rescuers work on a collapsed building where dozens are believed to be trapped in Angeles city in Pampanga province, north of Manila, Philippines Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Rescuers work on a collapsed building where dozens are believed to be trapped in Angeles city in Pampanga province, north of Manila, Philippines Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Rescuers work on a collapsed building where dozens are believed to be trapped in Angeles city in Pampanga province, north of Manila, Philippines Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A collapsed building where multiple people are believed to be trapped in Angeles city in Pampanga province, north of Manila, Philippines Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Caution tape marks the area around a collapsed building in Angeles city in Pampanga province, north of Manila, Philippines, Sunday May 24, 2026. (AP Photo)

Caution tape marks the area around a collapsed building in Angeles city in Pampanga province, north of Manila, Philippines, Sunday May 24, 2026. (AP Photo)