MANDAUE City has officially kicked off its fiesta activities two years since the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic forced city officials to postpone them.

The opening salvo for the May 8 feast in honor of St. Joseph the Worker was held at the Mandaue Heritage Park in Barangay Centro on Sunday, May 1, 2022.

A cultural show and the opening of the city’s food park greeted Mandaue citizens during the event.

The opening salvo also included the introduction of the 12 candidates for this year’s Miss Mandaue pageant which will be held on May 6.

In her speech, City Councilor Marie Immaline Cortes-Zafra, who is also the city’s tourism committee chairperson, said the pandemic may had held back two fiesta celebrations in 2020 and 2021 but it also strengthened everybody’s resolve to work hard so that normalcy would be restored.

Aside from the pandemic, the devastation brought about by Typhoon Odette (Rai) also almost affected this year’s fiesta celebration, Zafra added.

In his separate speech, Mayor Jonas Cortes has urged his constituents to continue cooperating with authorities as the city slowly goes back to normalcy.

“Mandaue City has stood up against the threatening Covid pandemic. I hope that everyone will not lose hope. I hope each and every one of you will continue to work with the government to create meaningful projects that are beneficial to all,” said Cortes.

Aside from the fiesta opening, city officials also unveiled its Mandaue City Food Park, located just across the heritage park.

The food park is open from May 1 until May 5 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Kristian Marc Cabahug, executive director of the Mandaue Investment Promotions Tourism Action Center, said their main aim in establishing the food park is to showcase the city’s different homegrown food enterprises and Mandaue City’s well-known delicacies.