A day of fun for MisOr village chiefs

TO CELEBRATE the Yuletide season, Misamis Oriental Vice Gov. Norris Babiera and 2nd District Rep. Peter Unabia, both from the Liberal Party (LP), pooled their resources together and treated more than 400 village chiefs of the province to a grand day of festivity in an exclusive hotel in Cagayan de Oro last week.
 
Out of the province’s 445 village chiefs, 401 came and enjoyed a day of fun, games and lots of surprises plus sumptuous meals prepared for them by the gracious hosts.

Rep. Unabia was generous enough to provide the prizes for all the village chiefs who didn’t go home empty-handed.
 
Some said the Christmas party was politically motivated as it was obviously organized by LP, citing it was just a mere “show of force to intimidate their political rivals.”
 
However, everyone did not seem to mind the negative remarks and enjoyed the day.
 
Babiera says it was the first time that they hosted such grand party.
 
He, however, clarified it was not politically-motivated but just “a show of acknowledgement” to the village chiefs who have done great public service to their constituents when Tropical Storm Sendong ravaged most areas of Misamis Oriental in December 2011.
 
He says most residents of the province, and even in Cagayan de Oro, were not able to celebrate Christmas in 2011 due to ‘Sendong.’
 
“The party also aims to unify our constituents regardless of political affiliation and hopes to remind everyone that politics is just passing. What matters most is how you became a public servant and what you have achieved to make your area of responsibility a progressive one,” Babiera says.
 
He expresses hope that their initiative will not be tainted with misinterpretation.
 
“We are just trying to enjoy the holiday season thru sharing and bonding with our fellow colleagues who were deprived after Sendong,” he says.
 
Babiera adds that the party is also a way of “patting one’s shoulder” and wishing for another progressive 2013.