Tagum all set for 3 events

TAGUM City lives up to its claim of being the festival capital as it is all set to stage three simultaneous events this month.

Alma Uy, Tagum City Tourism Council chair, said the 9th Musikahan sa Tagum Festival, 3rd National English Jazz Chants Festival and the 2010 National Schools Press Conference that will all be held this February in Tagum City are expected to give the city's economy a boost.

For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter

Uy, in a press conference, said they have already set-up 200 tents that would sell food, souvenir items, including ukay-ukay, to the visitors and participants of the three events.

Thirty exhibitors from Zamboanga and 60 from Davao City have already booked tents for the month-long series of activities.

The Tagum Tourism Council targets a revenue of P5 million for the three events and they are confident that this amount will be achieved.

Uy computed that if the expected 20,000 audience that would gather at the Tagum City Trade Center and Cultural Pavillion would spend at least P50 on the night of the Musikahan Festival, an easy P1 million would be earned just for one night.

During the Musikahan Festival, Sutherland, a business process outsourcing company will also set up jobs fair to recruit possible employees from Tagum and nearby provinces.

For the National Schools Press Conference, about 4,000 participants from all over the country are expected to come.

Uy said they have employed 18 caterers to provide for the meals of the participating students.

The National English Jazz Chants Festival has also contributed its fair share in the income generation pie as it also has its own generated sponsors.

With the number of participants, spectators and tourists trooping to Tagum, security has proved to be a challenge, but Uy said it will be taken care of by the city's top executive and the police.

Mayor Rey T. Uy assured everybody that they will be safe in his city.

"Ako'y bantay ninyo (I will be guarding you), you will see me around na naka-tsinelas ug shorts (in shorts and slippers). You're in good hands," the mayor said.

Police Officer 3 Corsino Luegas, representative of Tagum City Police Office chief Police Superintendent Guissepee Geralde, said a battalion of policemen has already been augmented and checkpoints in key areas in the city have also been set up to further ensure the security of the city.

Mrs. Uy admitted that they have invited several candidates for national positions but denied that the activities are political in nature.

"They were all invited and allowed to sponsor," Mrs. Uy said.

The National Jazz Chant Festival would be on February 15 to 17; the Musikahan Festival would be on February 19 to 28; and the 2010 National Schools Press Conference would be on February 21 to 26.