MANDAUE City officials launched a one-day lecture series as a way to promote its tourism, heritage and culture even amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
The “UnsaMandaue” lecture series focused on the city’s history and heritage. The lecture series was held at the Hall of Fame at the Mandaue City Hall on Monday, May 31, 2021.
Mandaue City Councilor Immaline Cortes-Zafra, chairperson of the Committee of Tourism, said one of its purposes was to re-educate Mandaue City residents of the city’s past considering that many residents were migrants and other residents barely know the city’s history.
Dr. Jocelyn Gerra, Mandaue City consultant for tourism development, served as the speaker for the first lecture, which tackled about the Philippine Heritage Charter.
Brother Bela Lanyi, SVD, the editor of the University of San Carlos (USC) Lantawan Magazine, served as the speaker for the second set of lectures, which focused on the architectural heritage of the Eversley Childs Sanitarium in Barangay Jagobiao during the American period.
Dr. Pythagoras Zerna, hospital chief of Eversley Childs Sanitarium, also discussed their plans of building a hospital museum.
Zafra said they also wanted the public to know that Mandaue city is not only about its delicacies such as bibingka and tagaktak but it is also rich in other industries like the furniture industry in the city which will be discussed in the future lecture series.
She said they have invited the education sector to use the discussion as educational material in sharing these with the students.
The activity is just the beginning of this tourism promotion initiative of the city.
Zafra said they will hold another lecture series in August in time of the city’s charter celebration.
Zafra said they are currently in talks with Mayor Jonas Cortes to make the lectures a yearly activity. (KFD)