Wednesday, September 01, 2004 GMA thanks City for bridge upkeep By Rose O. Verzosa Sun.Star Staff Reporter
ALTHOUGH Mandaue City did not hold the Mantawi Festival to celebrate its 35th Charter Day this year, the presence of President Arroyo during their fellowship dinner last Monday more than made up for it.
The president’s protocol, though, caused some last minute changes in Mandaue’s preparations and guests had to be hosted in separate function rooms.
Arroyo and her entourage, as well as city officials, local business leaders and some city mayors from the Visayas stayed at the conference room of Waterfront Hotel and Casino Mactan, while the others, including the City’s department heads and barangay officials, were in Budyong Hall at the other end of the hotel.
Mayor Thadeo Ouano said this year’s Charter Day celebration is “a gathering of friends and allies” who support the President and her 10-point agenda.
Arroyo thanked the constituents and officials of Mandaue for “voluntarily taking care” of the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and its approaches. She even likened the well-trimmed shrubs lining along the entire UN Ave. going towards the bridge to those in Kuala Lumpur or Bali, Indonesia.
“This (the City’s maintenance of the bridge) is an example of the support and help that we need from everyone during this difficult times that we have decided to face,” Arroyo said as she addressed the City’s guests.
“We have difficult times for a long time but, somehow, we tried to cope. It will not go away, unless we fight it,” she said.
Ouano, for his part, believed that, under Arroyo’s leadership, the country would be able to overcome the “development challenges” that the country is facing.
“Our country will always move forward if every local government and its constituency, especially the business sector, continue to share the burden of governance,” Ouano said.
The guests laughed when the President, who donned a green Filipiniana attire, mentioned she was completely unaware that the motif of the city officials, who were all wearing their uniform Mantawi barong, would also be green.
“The Lord is making us think alike. Let’s think alike and use our like-mindedness to face our present for the good of our future,” Arroyo said.
Most of the City’s guests who were at the Budyong Hall had to be content with a video footage of what was happening at the hotel’s conference room, including Arroyo’s speech. The President even greeted them in her speech and apologized to them for the set-up but she did not offer some explanation.
(September 1, 2004 issue) Write letter to the editor.Click here. Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
