TAGUM CITY - Close to 30,000 scouts from 20 countries have converged to witness the commencement of the latest edition of the Asean Scout Jamboree last November 27, 2017 at the Energy Park, Tagum City.
No less than House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez graced the grand opening ceremonies of the 6th Asean Scout Jamboree along with the bigwigs from the Asean Scout Association for Regional Cooperation (ASARC).
The week-long international scouting event is participated in by contingents of nine Asean countries, including the Philippines, as well as those of Sri Lanka, East Timor, Nepal, Netherlands, Maldives, Macau, Kuwait, South Korea, India, Hong Kong and Bangladesh.
Reportedly, the biggest delegation from among the 121 local councils of the BSP is the Davao City Council while the biggest contingent from the international participation is Indonesia, with 137 registered participants.
The present jamboree which bears the theme, Growth and Stability, is the second of its kind to be held in the Philippines after the holding of the first ever Asean Scout Jamboree in Mt. Makiling more than 20 years ago.
Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon, who serves as the Camp Chief, stated in his welcome message that the true essence of the event is to make friends, develop camaraderie and contribute to the growth and stability of the scouting movement in the Asean Region. He further said that the gathering of the scouts from across the world bears a sense of higher purpose to build friendships to solidify the region’s oneness.
The local government unit of Tagum and the BSP-Tagum City Council which act as co-hosts of this edition of the Asean Scout Jamboree, also treated the participants to a Parachute Exhibition and Airshow and a Pyro-Musical Fireworks Display as part of the opening activities.
Notably, this is the second largest scouts gathering to have been held in Tagum City, after the 16th National Scout Jamboree of the BSP in 2015.
A grand fireworks display ended the elaborate opening ceremony. (PR)