Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Kasanggayahan Festival 2011 opens with a big bang


By Irma A. Guhit

(Photo: BARecebido/PIA Sorsogon)
 SORSOGON CITY, OCTOBER 4 (PIA)….. Senator Joseph Francis ”Chiz” G. Escudero, a Sorsogueno and pride of the province of Sorsogon , served as the keynote speaker during the grand opening of this year’s 117th Kasanggayahan Festival 2011 last October 1 , here at the newly renovated Balogo Sports Complex .

The event kicked off with the longest foot parade that started from 1:00PM and ended at almost 3:00PM participated in by almost all sectors of society in the province led by the public officials of the 15 local government of Sorsogon, government employees, the academe, the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, business sector, students, bands, drum and lyre corpse of the different schools and invited guests.

Teeming with thousands of people who attended the grand opening at the complex, Senator Escudero lauded the Kasanggayahan Foundation Incorporated (KFI) through Msgr. Francisco P. Monje , its president for partnering with the private sector headed by Michael Sulit president of the Sorsoganon Kami Inc. for taking the initiative to volunteer in spearheading and taking the lead in this year’s celebration.

The Senator also congratulated Governor Raul R. Lee, all the local officials, the private sector , business establishments and all those who supported the event and specially those who were present in the occasion making the grand opening an event of solidarity, and an expression of the spirit of the Sorsoganons.
Escudero said that the Kasanggayahan Festival should be the moving spirit for every Sorsoganon to show one’s commitment in involving oneself contribute to the development of the province and should be celebrated through this festival.

He expressed that as a Sorsoganon, he takes pride in the unified participation shown by the constituents of the province and the leadership of the officials as manifested in this year’s festival.

Meanwhile Maria “Nini” O. Ravanilla, regional director, Department of Tourism, ROV in her message underscored the value of tourism. She said that the effort to make tourism as the most viable economic base for livelihood and development in the countryside is one of the banner thrusts of the PNoy administration .

“All assistance to improve tourism here in the province here is being provided from accessibility in form of roads. Bulusan concreting is in the amount of P90 M and P2M Ecotourism project for the development of the Buenavista Tourism Center in Irosin and the construction of a tourism building for Gubat,” Ravanilla said.
She profoundly stated the richness of the province in terms of destinations, attractions and the Kasanggayahan Festival as the cultural strategy to mainstream tourism as a way of life of the province engaging local communities and local officials to provide the support systems like roads, improved amenities and planned year round events that should be a come on for tourists.

Former governor Sally Ante-Lee, delivered a message for and in behalf of the governor extending appreciation to the whole constituency for the very active participation and support to this year’s festival.
She stressed the need for continued coordination and complementation of programs and projects so that the desire of the province to boost tourism and propel economic development be realized as the language and deeper meaning of Kasanggayahan.

The local version of the Pantomina, “Sinakiki” interpreted by the dancers of the local government of Gubat wowed the audience in their very lively performance and colorful costumes and festive participation.
Stalls of the LGUs and other participating business enterprises selling different produce and products were also inaugurated after the opening program.

A dinner was tendered to the visitors, local officials and other invited personalities before the evening show. The whole complex was for the first time in so many years a venue of the evening wait of people to watch the display of fireworks that was donated by the DOT RO V and was started at 8:00PM. (PIA-SORSOGON)
(Photo: BARecebido/PIA Sorsogon)

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