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Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Volunteers band together for Baguio centenary
VOLUNTEERS under the Centennial Commission and Tourism Office led by City Tourism Officer Benedicto Alhambra started preparations for the city's 100th year in 2009, through a clean-up drive, anchored on the theme: "Rekindling the Soul of Baguio Towards Solidarity and Unity."
The activity started at the Baguio Convention Center (BCC) where a mass creative dance and inter-faith thanksgiving and adoration prayers were performed by at least a thousand students from the city's schools and universities. After a prelude and announcements, volunteer- participants led by Acting Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr., marched to People's Park for briefing, and for mass cleanup along the main roads of the central business district.
Bautista said the cleanup drive is a "major gift" from the citizens for the city, much so that it is done in the spirit of volunteerism.
Towards the evening, there were prayer processions from various venues towards BCC where, with the ringing of the Cathedral bells, flowers, fruit and vegetables were offered. Vespers or evening prayers were performed by interfaith leaders as Baguio water and soil, in symbolic rites, were blessed. Participants later partook of boiled yams, said to be a survival food of olden times.
The activity was just a preliminary to other upcoming events including tourism, cultural and environmental programs within the next 1,000 towards September 2009.
Increased food production through organic gardening; extra income from recyclable wastes; clean air, water and surroundings; values education and team work spirit inculcated through volunteerism; and acquisition of basic knowledge on zoning standards in urban areas are also part of the objectives of the volunteer movement.
In a bid to boost tourism this month, an exposition and trade fair of organic food as organized by the Baguio 4-H Club, and a longganiza (native sausage) festival were also organized by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio on September 25 to 30 as part of the activities. A chain of Baguio longganiza displayed along the main streets would serve as culinary event for the city's unique tasting homemade sausage, for the curious and palate-satisfier seekers.
Also slated this month are: a diorama presentation parade, band concerts in Burnham Park, the Philippine Military Academy silent drill and air war declaration, which are expected to be crowd-drawers.
Support groups for all activities to be announced in succeeding months include a cross-section of the society; the transport sector, media, youth, academe, professional, religious, arts and culture group, and senior citizens who willingly combine brains and brawn in doing volunteer work for the city in various ways. National and local line agencies would also serve as links in all activities. (Julie Fianza)
(September 12, 2006 issue)
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