Sunday, October 05, 2008 Padilla: BEA-CSWDO month-long Octoberbest '08 celebration By Nars Padilla Sportscope
THE much awaited annual celebration of Octoberbest 2008 focusing on a series of leadership, social-fraternal, civic-environmental, and sports activities carefully planned and designed to offer distinct opportunities for Senior Citizens to partake of and to enjoy among their peers starts Sunday.
At 8 a.m., thousands of elderlies from the BARP Foundation, Philippine Government Retired Employees Association (PGREA), Baguio Chapter, Federation of Baguio Senior Citizens Association (FBASECA), Veterans Federation of the Philippines-CAR and Baguio districts and from the USAFIP Northern Luzon will gather in unison at the Baguio Convention Center to attend the grand opening program of the month-long celebration.
Senate President Manuel Villar Jr., Congressman Mauricio Domogan, City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr., and Vice Mayor Daniel Fariñas have been invited as principal guests.
In keeping with tradition, the presentation of the prestigious BEA-CSWDO Gintong Tala Achievers Award for this year will be conferred to the 12 Most Outstanding Model Senior Citizens from the cosmopolitan residents in the city.
The core of awardees were cited for their individual leadership excellence, exemplary achievement and highly meritorious deeds made possible through their respective chosen professions or careers, which contributed in distinct manners toward the sustained vision, growth and development of the City of Baguio and the Cordillera in particular and the country at large.
The members of the Awards and Recognition Committee composed of Professor Federico Balanag, Engineer Leopoldo Escaño, former City School Superintendent Jose Olarte, educator Eduardino Damatac, Gualterio Adalim, Colonel Napoleon Gojo (Retired) Commander Robert Billasi with yours truly as chairman. OCSWDO department head Betty Fangasan is the BEA adviser.
It was the unanimous decision of the committee to confer the Gintong Tala plum to the honorees after a month-long screening and selection process. The awardees are all prominent and successful achievers from government, religious and professional services.
The awardees are Rodolfo Daladado Sr. for religious-spiritual service; Isaias Barongan - executive, government service; Councilor Galo Weygan, legislative, government service; retired Judge Helia Malare-Philipps - judiciary, government service; Dr. Ruperta Vergara - education; Dr. Julie C. Cabato - medical service; Carmelita Mondiguing - tourism and culture; Joseph Catacutan - military service; Joey and Donna Rufino - business and trade; Henedino "Jimmy" Luzano - journalism; Contance Damian - social-civic service and Tony Candelaria - sports.
Immediately after the program at the center a grand march pass by the elderlies will follow with their respective Lola Lakambini and Lakans at the fore of each association.
The marchers on review will go down Session Road and will end at the Malcolm Square for the distribution of free fruit-bearing trees courtesy of CEPMO. The BEA executive board agreed to keep the celebration this year as simple and modest as possible.
Of course, without losing track of its significance and importance pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 470 series of 1994 and Sangguniang Panlunsod ng Baguio Resolution No. 054 series of 2003 under the leadership of former city mayor Bernardo Vergara.
More than ever the strength of BEA as the executive program arm of the five major senior citizens organizations in the city is the BEA Covenant of Unity inked on Oct. 4, 2003. It is a sad fact that the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) does not recognize the Baguio elderly Assembly as a working body.
For what reason we do not know! Happily and proudly, Octoberbest 2008 will go on as planned even without the blessings of the OSCA. Octoberbest is for us, the "Baguio elderlies" not for the OSCA as I see it from any perspective.
With the theme "Sharing Our Golden Legacy For A Better Tomorrow" Octoberbest '08 "will do" or better still "will make do with whatever we can to implement its varied calendar of events."
The BEA Palaro showcasing a mix of traditional Filipino games and a number of modern day sports disciplines will be held on Oct. 11 simultaneously with "BEA Through the Years" Photo Exhibit. The pictorial display will run up to the 12th.
On October 18, free medical and dental outreach mission activities will be in the centerfold. The time-honored BEA "Pista sa Nayon" to be climaxed with the presentation and "putongan" (flower-crowning) ceremonies for the Lola Lambinis and Lakans plus a cultural show of folk, ethnic and modern dance entertainment numbers and a choral fest will add glitter to the occasion.
Finally on October 28 Senior Citizen couples of 50 years or more in "loving togetherness" will renew their wedding vows during the testimonial dubbed "Dalawang Puso, Isang Pag-ibig." Only here in Baguio can you find a BEA on the go!
