THE most awaited annual Philippine Military Academy, AFP, Cadet’s Day at the Park will be staged at the Burnham Park on December 3. The Decemberbest show is a highlight event in the monthlong 44TH Year Anniversary Celebration of Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio, considered through the years as the most colourful and meaningful Christmas Season program in the City of Baguio and the Cordillera Region.
Earlier this week, we received word from the PMA authorities led by PMA Supt. Brig. Gen. DONATO SAN JUAN III that they were are ready and all are set to do their share to spread the spirit of the season. Again, we would like to pay our respect and gratitude to the PMA for their sustained leadership and exemplary cooperation to boost the mission and humanitarian objective of Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio which started way back in 1973, to honor and entertain Balikbayans and the city cosmopolitans as a whole.
The PMA Day at the Park comes in two parts. Part I is the Silent Drill exhibition by an elite Cadet Company set at 10 o’clock in the morning at the Melvin Jones Grandstand grounds. The Cadets will showcase “smartness and good order, razor-sharp manual of arms, and a series of fancy drill formations.” I could vividly remember when former PMA Supt. RODOLFO BIAZON described the PMA Cadets’ presentation as an immersion bridge to bring the PMA closer to the people and vice versa. For the first time ever, tri-media officers and members of the city-CAR organizations from the Philippine Information Agency-CAR, the Press Information Office of the City of Baguio, Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters ng Pilipinas, Cordillera Broadcasters Association, Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club, Association of Government Information Officers of the Cordillera, National Correspondents Club of Baguio, Philippine News Agency – CAR, ABS-CBN TV Patrol Northern Luzon, and Sky Cable Baguio will be the special guests and honorees during the PMA Christmas Show at the Park and during the second part of the event, the PMA Band shall perform a concert at Malcolm Square at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. The media practitioners will be joined by the officers and members of the BARP Foundation, Federation of Baguio Senior Citizens Associations, Philippine Retirees Association – Baguio Chapter, Veterans Federation of the Philippines – Baguio District, and the United States Armed Forces of the Philippines – Northern Luzon represented by the World War II Veterans from the famous 66TH Infantry Battalion, AFP. The mentioned Senior Citizens Associations are affiliates of the Baguio Elderly Association (BEA). Of course, the general public and our out-of-town visitors are very welcome to witness the twin presentations as well. We are also inviting our PWD friends to come and join in witnessing the PMA offering!
May I add in passing, that PIA-CAR Director Helen Tibaldo has been requested by the SNPB Executive Committee to serve as the chairperson of the tri-media invitation group with PIO officer Aileen Refuerzo as the vice chairperson. I would like to express my thanks to these two hardworking ladies for taking on the tasks.
Because of unforeseen circumstances, the colourful Children’s Parents’ Christmas Mardi Gras is scheduled to usher in the 12-point program of our Decemeberbest schedule. It will begin from Upper Session Road at 8 in the morning on December 1ST. The Mardi Gras will end at the Melvin Jones Grandstand for the Grand Opening Program, spiced with the presentation and coronation rites honoring this year’s Little Mister and Miss Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio. An interesting cultural festival by CSWDO Day Care pupils follows. In keeping with tradition, City Mayor Mauricio Domogan will head the core of special guest to the occasion. Handsome incentive prizes are at stake for the best Mardi Gras and cultural festival presentations. A group of pupils clad in various international costumes from the PHASES Learning Center to symbolize the universality of Christmas is also slated to perform in the day’s program.
According to Liza Bulayongan, our CSWDO social worker in charge of the Little Mister and Miss Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio pageant, the final selection of the honorees will be held this week. The guest will include a talent show by the four cluster candidates. Social worker Coralie Dulnuan is the other program officer in the implementation of the varied religious, educational, civic-cultural, sports, and tourism activities of our December Christmas Season presentation. CSWDO administrative officer Nestor Mestito heads our working technical staff.
The symbolic launching ceremony of Silahis ng Pasko will be held at the Shrine of the Brown Madonna at Km. 7, Asin Road, on November 26, the fourth Sunday of this month. A thanksgiving Holy Mass to mark the occasion will be celebrated by our NCCB and the Shrine’s Spiritual Adviser Rev. Fr. Alejandro. The Holy Eucharist starts with a floral and candlelight offering by the winners in the SNPB Little Mister and Miss Baguio together with their parents. A group of Baguio elderlies will also be in the rites. To add life and luster to the activity, the children and elderly participants in the ceremony will offer 44 candles, 44 assorted flowers in four vases, and will also release after the mass 44 colored balloons to emphasize the 44th Year Celebration of Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio. CSWDO Department Head Betty Fangasan and yours truly as co-chairperson of the Decemberbest SNPB Christmas Bonanza “caring and sharing” endeavor will be at the helm of the spiritual-religious undertaking. A simple luncheon hosted by the Shrine’s project committee will be held after the balloons toward the sky affair. We are again inviting one and all to join us and enjoy with us the blessings of Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio 2017. Mabuhay tayong lahat!