PLAZA Olympia Severino (the name of a Silaynon lady who embroidered the Philippine flag of revolution used during the Cinco de Noviembre uprising in 1898), or Silay public plaza is not just a cultural landmark to remind Negrosanons that Silay was “Paris of Negros” at the turn of the century.
It witnessed the raising of the Philippine flag after the surrender of the Spanish soldiers to the “hacenderos” and “jornaleros” after the attack of the Spanish garrison. It served as the meeting place of the “buen hijos” and “hijas” of who would attend the “misa cantada” at the “Iglesia de San Diego.” The “practicantes” (church goers) would proceed to see the “zarzuela” at the Kahirup Theater and later be a participant in a “velada’ (evening party).
Silay public plaza (once) was like a lady who was there to see the oath taking of the “cabezas de barangay” before Mayor Antonio Gaston for the Barangay sang Birhen. During World War II, many Silaynons (prominent included) were assembled here by the Japanese Imperial Army to experience cruelty in the hands of the children of the Rising Sun. That made our guerillas (also American soldiers) kill Japs in Patag during their last stand.
This public square is a storage of affectionate and not-so-euphoric memories. This was bulldozed to be flattened during the Marcos years (as ordered by the Lady through her puppies … some are still alive). Many Silaynons were crying as the demolition team gobbled the “once sunken plaza.” Ka Doroy Valencia (+) would want Silay plaza to be a park upon the order of Maganda. His will was done not only in Silay, but also in other plazas in the Philippines.
There is no use crying over spilled milk. After Mayor Mark Golez took his oath of office, I was approached by Executive Assistant Levi Fernandez if we could initiate a program of making Silay public plaza “more beautiful.” It could be done … why not? My partner Leo Canson was provided efficient casual workers to do the job to landscape the area in front of city hall and to face lift the park by planting more ornamental and flowering plants.
We laid down the plan and took partnership with Dela Ledesma (head of General Services Office), Engr. Rene Roy Pahilanga (Chief of City Engineer’s Office), and Executive Assistant Edgar Bordeos to accelerate the beautification of Silay public plaza. The initiative of Leo Canson paved the way when he was allowed to use some excess and waste materials from the bodega. This is what we got from our public relations program under the Office of the City Mayor.
We do not discount the fact that our plaza cleaners should maintain orderliness and cleanliness, and our civil security personnel should see to it that those who enjoy at the plaza should not leave their garbage. We have provided garbage receptacles and we have reminders in form of good slogans stuck in strategic places. Silay public plaza is for the Silaynons and visitors. We have to keep it safe and clean for everyone to use.
Partner Leo Canson and his work staff are expanding the areas to be planted. This could be the place for pupils and students to spend a little time to study while sitting on the bench. Some could occupy the wider areas for their cheering and dance rehearsals. We have also the courts for basketball and volleyball. For cultural events, we have a wider stage. The senior citizens can have the covered court for their get-together, and the same place could be utilized by the zumba dancers for their afternoon physical fitness together with patients under Dia-Care.
We do all these not just for public relations but also to support the program of the Department of Tourism to make all plazas in the Philippines functional following the green technology program. We commit ourselves to a smoke-free environment. All our slogans in the plaza remind guests not to smoke because smoking makes life very short. Smoking makes widows and orphans. Smoking makes you ugly like an ogre.
Again, we invite our friends to relax at Silay public plaza. We also appreciate friends who can donate flowering plants. Our propagation staff continue to pot plants near the civic center for the future development of some areas. Mayor Mark Golez and Vice Mayor Joedith Gallego would want to showcase a more beautiful plaza, after all, Silay is the “seat of arts and culture in the region”.