SORSOGON
CITY, October 5 (PIA) – “It’s time to show what have.” This is what Sorsogon
Provincial Management Office (SPMO) Executive Director Sally Ante-Lee said in a
press conference held at the Provincial Training Hall.
In
the press conference beckoned by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
Sorsogon and graced by front-runners of the Kasanggayahan Foundation, Inc.
(KFI), SPMO, Prov’l. Agriculture Office (PAO), Prov’l. Tourism Office (PTO),
other provincial offices, national government agencies and non-government
organizations, as well as the Sorsogon tri-media Mrs. Lee encouraged everyone
to promote the Province of Sorsogon as a Land of peace and prosperity through the Kasanggayahan Festival.
Representing
the Hon. Governor Raul R. Lee, the gathering was steered by the SPMO Executive
Director Sally Ante-Lee, together with KFI president Msgr. Francisco P. Monje,
for the media’s fine grasp of the upcoming proceedings in relation to the 118th
Foundation Anniversary of the Province of Sorsogon celebrated through the
Kasanggayahan Festival.
This
year’s celebration is anchored on the theme “Sorsogon
Paunlarin, Agrikultura’t Industriya Pasiglahin” that will bring
significance to the role of the agricultural industry in the province.
The
general idea, according to Mrs. Lee is the Kasanggayahan Festival has been
celebrated for 18 years, but so far Sorsogon was really not able to present a
candid display of its distinctiveness as a province.
“By
some means we did, yet only a sliver of what we actually have got, so all along
when assessments were made, we were always confronted with the question if we
really have advanced into something after the festivity,” the official
clarified.
She
further explained that anywhere in the country, festivals are not only tourist
attractions which promote the character of different provinces, but income-generating
programmes as well.
She
said that Sorsogon has potentials in tourism, culture and arts, agriculture and
natural resources which should be given outstanding recognitions each time the Kasanggayahan
Festival is celebrated, with the Provincial Government at the helms, supported
by active involvements of the Kasanggayahan Foundation Incorporated (KFI),
National as well as Non-Government Agencies, the private sector, media,
farmers, and local communities so as to stimulate Sorsogon by means of a
five-year plan which initially focuses on agronomy this year.
SPMO
Exec. Dir. Lee likewise revealed that Sorsogon will have a chance for global exposure from Living
Asia which is in agreement with the Provincial Government to authenticate the
passion to show what Sorsogon have. “For five days starting from October 7, the
network will visit and capture the Kasanggayahan activities and all other
sight-seeing areas in the province” she added.
Living
Asia Channel is a 24-hour Asian travel and lifestyle channel, the first
Philippine-made to air in North America. It showcases the best of Asian
destinations, finds, culture, cuisine, fashion, people, business, issues and
investment opportunities in the Philippines and Asia. This channel is owned by
CCI Asia Group and operated by CCI Asia Television.
Meanwhile,
Asst. Provincial Agriculturist Tess Destura, gave an assurance that its administrative
centre is moving in step with all municipal agriculturists through their individual
town mayors, the farmers’ contribution per local government unit, as well as agencies
under the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the DA Central Office which is
among the corroborators of this year’s Kasanggayahan experience.
Msgr.
Monje, on the other hand, equally reminded everyone with the significance of
the Eucharistic Celebrations throughout the celebration of the Kasanggayahan.
“Let’s all thank God for the land of Sorsogon and the many gifts that God has
given to us in terms of human resources, most of all the lovely people of
Sorsogon, and together commemorate the first Holy Mass in Gibalon, Magallanes,”
he said.
“The
purpose of the press conference is to tell the media what the Provincial
Government of Sorsogon and the KFI have in mind, especially the main objective
to promote Sorsogon and to display what Sorsogon has, what we have been doing,
what we are doing and what we are producing, so that people will know what
Sorsogon really is,” Msgr. Monje narrated.
He
also said that the media is very powerful arm of disseminating information with
a very serious responsibility to help people verbalize their decisions and
opinions. “The only thing that i ask you to do is to propagate what is true and
what is good for all of us in Sorsogon. Tell the public about Sorsogon’s vision
and the self-sacrificing goals of its leaders,” he further said.
Msgr.
Monje told the media to invite the public to become solid partners in building
up of the province by means of guiding the people to the avenues where they
could participate. “Let’s talk about how beautiful Sorsogon is and how we can
heighten the beauty and the richness that is in Sorsogon,” he said.
The
Kasanggayahan celebration was first conceptualized in 1974 commemorating the establishment
of Sorsogon as a separate province from Albay. The KFI on one hand, which has
been at the forefront of all Kasanggayahan celebration for years, was organised
in 1995. (VAELabalan, PIO/BARecebido PIA Sorsogon)