THE traditional annual Golden Years Octoberbest Festival of the Blessed Association of Retired Persons Foundation, Inc. will take the centerstage tomorrow, Sunday, at the Baguio City multi-purpose hall with Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Rep. Nicasio Aliping Jr. leading the special guests.
The curtain goes up at 1pm with an invocation by Rev. Fr. Manuel Castro, parish priest of Our Lady of Grace Church at City Camp, followed by the singing of the Pambansang Awit and the BARP Golden Years hymn.
By the way, BARP’s Octoberbest program is in keeping with the provisions of Presidential Proclamation No. 470, Series of 1994 by President Fidel Ramos declaring the first week of October every year as “Linggo ng Katandaang Filipino” (Elderly Filipino Week) and City Council Resolution No. 52, Series 2003 declaring the whole month of October s the “Retirees and Senior Citizens Month in the City of Baguio”, as recommended by BARP Foundation headed by its president-CEO Prof. Federico Balanag, who will give the welcome address.
There are at least three main parts of the day’s celebration. The first offering is the presentation of the prestigious Gintong Tala Luminary Award to the city’s most outstanding senior citizens in recognition of their exemplary leadership, growth and development in their respective profession or vocation and for highly meritorious service for the community.
The awardees are Rev. Fr. Castro (religious and spiritual service); City Administrator Carlos Canilao (government service); Emetrio Cesario Manantan (government service, Department of Labor and Employment); Dr. Jimmy Cabfit (medicine); Dr. Remedios Taguba (education); Isaac Espiritu (military service, United States Navy); Peter Ng. (business and trade); Nicolas “Bong” Cawed (tourism and special events); Reynaldo Nauyac Lopez (arts, culture and environment); Ramon Dacawi (journalism); Hidulfo “Dolphy” Lachica (sports); and Monroe Taclawan (civic and social service).
The awards will be conferred to the honorees by Mayor Domogan, Rep. Aliping, Prof. Balanag, Vice Mayor Edison Bilog and Councilor Faustino Olowan, BARP’s legal counsel. Manantan, on behalf of the awardees, will deliver a brief response.
Part II of the afternoon’s program will feature a barrio fiesta featuring the presentation, march and coronation rites of the foundation’s Gintong Lola lakambinis and Ginoong Lolo lakans. On the spotlight are: Baguio district, couple Victorio and Estelita Afalla; Itogon, Benguet district, Florentino Awingan and Tomasa delos Reyes; and Mt. Province district, Juanita Gabaen to be escorted by Napoleon Ponce.
After the potongan ceremonies officiated by city officials, Beneco general manager Gerry Versoza, Mr. and Mrs. Wilfredo Layson from Urdaneta City, former congressman and mayor Bernardo Vergara and Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan and La Trinidad Mayor Edna Tabanda are expected to join the entourage.
A set of songs and folk dances to be performed by Cordillera Broadcasters Alliance Edong Carta and the National Institute of Information Technology, Mankayan district, the MABIBAK Cultural Troupe from La Trinidad district and from Tublay will spice up the show.
Finally, a free raffle will end BARP’s Octoberbest festival. The rank and file of the Foundation are reminded to attend the Oct. 12 affair at City Hall.
As the executive action officer of the Shrine of the Brown Madonna located along Km. 7, Asin Road, Tuba, Benguet, I would like to convey our deepest gratitude and appreciation to all the Mama Mary devotees from the city and neighboring barangays of Benguet who joined us during the 28th anniversary celebration of the Shrine.
Maraming salamat po to Rev. Fr. Joseph Paduyao, parish priest of Don Bosco Church at Trancoville and Fr. Domingo German Ledesma, NCCB and Shrine’s spiritual adviser who offered a concelebrated mass at the place of worship.
We are grateful for the participation of the Don Bosco Church Knights of Columbus choir and the choral group all the way from Urdaneta City, courtesy of the Layson couple, whose vocal talents enlivened the Holy Eucharist and the festivity.
The Layson family, a pair of BARPers, former congressman Vergara and devotees joyfully officiated in the floral and candlelight rites. A fellowship lunch jointly hosted by Fr. Joseph and the Laysons was held after the blessing and distribution of Holy Rosary beads to all the celebrators, thanks to Mama devotee Jojo Alba of Quezon City, the amiable donor.
Anniversary activities at the Shrine also marked the launching day rites of the forthcoming 42nd year presentation of Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio, a prominent Christmas season attraction in the city and the Cordillera. It was also a thanksgiving for the success of BARP’s Golden Years Octoberbest Festival this year.