|
Sunday, April 03, 2005
VIPs grace Mantawi launching
By Rose O. Verzosa
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE presence of three of Mandaue City’s former first ladies, who arrived either in a wheelchair or with a cane, and a legislator from Germany made the grand launching of the 3rd Mantawi Festival last Friday night an exceptional occasion.
It epitomizes the City Government’s emphasis for its rich cultural heritage and a call for unification as means to propel the City to further development.
Gallery opening
Together with Mantawi’s launching was the opening of a gallery of the first ladies of Mandaue in front of the City Hall building, which aims to give due recognition to the women behind the mayors.
Since 1925, Mandaue City already had 10 mayors, including incumbent mayor Thadeo Ouano. All of the mayor’s wives are featured in the gallery.
However, only three former first ladies, along with Thadeo’s wife, made it to last Friday’s ocassion.
Despite difficulty in walking, Noema Achas Pesons, 84, wife of former presidente Fabiano Pesons (1928-1951); Celestina Cabungcal Cortes, 78, wife of former mayor Demetrio Cortes Sr. (1964-1986); and Dolores Zambo Ouano, 79, wife of former mayor Alfredo Ouano (1988-1998), arrived at the Mandaue City Square to grace the ceremonial opening of the gallery.
With a little help from their relatives and with the aid of their wheelchairs or walking canes, the three women briefly walked through the gallery to take a look at their pictures.
Other ex-first ladies
The other former first ladies are Sebastiana M. Cortes, wife of Mandaue’s first ex-presidente Ariston Cortes; Genoveva M. del Rosario, wife of ex-presidente Alejandro del Rosario; Encarnacion E. Fortuna, wife of ex-presidente Alejandro Fortuna; Rosa D. Seno, wife of ex-mayor Urbano Seno; Marcelina R.
Gonzaga, wife of ex-mayor Apolonio Gonzaga; and Dolores J. Seno, wife of ex-mayor Conrado Seno.
Their relatives attended the occasion in their behalf.
“It’s about time that they be given the honor that they deserve,” said Thadeo, who himself witnessed how his mother, Dolores, would wake up in the wee hours of the morning to help his father Pedong attend to their visitors and constituents.
Even Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia took exception to the honoring of the former first ladies, saying Mandaue City’s knack for looking back to its rich cultural heritage “is perhaps the reason why Mandaue has grown to its unprecedented height.”
Importance of unity
Meanwhile, guest speaker Karin Schubert, senator of Berlin, Germany, spoke about the reunification of Germany following the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 and advised Cebu against dividing itself.
She said the biggest task after their reunification was to make one capital European state out of two big centers or cities.
“Berlin is now in a difficult financial situation that has a lot to do with its past as a divided city…When we want to be a part of the world, we have to be unified, to be a union,” Schubert said.
“Be unified. That’s your chance. Please, don’t divide yourself,” the Berlin mayor added.
Month-long festivity
Last Friday’s occasion marked the start of Mandaue’s over a month-long celebration of the Mantawi Festival 2005, which will include the celebration of its 484th Foundation Day on April 7 and the fiesta in honor of St. Joseph on May 8.
Some of the guests who attended the grand launching were Schubert, Garcia, Provincial Board Members Agnes Magpale and Victor Maambong, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Felix Guanzon and some municipal mayors and some businessmen.
(April 3, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
