BONTOC, Mountain Province – Presidential chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo will be the province’s guest of honor and speaker during the celebration of its Golden Anniversary on April 7, 2017.
Panelo, who was personally invited by Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr., during the recent inauguration of the Peoples Television (PTV) 4 Cordillera hub in Baguio City last week, will be accompanied by Presidential Communications Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Rafael-Banaag, who was the former Mayor of Natonin town, when the Palace officials visit the province for the celebration of the province’s milestone.
“We are elated that Secretary Panelo immediately accepted our verbal invitation. We were also able to deliver the formal invitation to the Palace official in his office so we are optimistic that he will personally grace the province’s momentous occasion as the extension of the President,” Lacwasan stressed.
Aside from celebrating its 50th founding anniversary next month, Mountain Province will also host the second quarter meeting of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in the Cordillera on the afternoon of April 7 where various regional development issues, including priority concerns of the host province, will be deliberated upon by the region’s policy-making body.
Lacwasan said the provincial government also extended an invitation to Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza to attend the second quarter RDC-CAR meeting for regional leaders to continue their interaction with Palace officials to get the commitment of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to support the region’s renewed quest for regional autonomy towards the administration’s move for the shift to federal form of government.
On April 8, residents and visitors will have the chance to witness the unique culture and traditions of the various tribes in Mountain Province through the different cultural performances as part of the province’s Lang-ay festival, the province’s major crowd-drawing event and one of the region’s well-attended festivals.
Lacwasan added the major highlight of the Lang-ay festival will be the serving of the biggest ‘patupat’ capable of feeding thousands of individuals and the traditional ‘sinab-ang’ or sticky rice with camote for people to partake while enjoying the various cultural performances of the participating indigenous peoples from the ten municipalities of the province.
For his part, Paulino Pumapang, chairman of the Lang-ay Festival Organization, said the organizers were able to talk to some business establishments in the capital town who agreed to serve some of their delicacies during the Lang-ay on the Street for people to partake of the food served in their establishments.
Some of the activities lined up during the twin celebrations, the province’s Golden Anniversary and the Lang-ay festival, include an ethnic fashion show, traditional sports competitions, cultural shows among others.
Lacwasan extended the invitation to those interested to visit the province to join them in the twin celebrations while taking the opportunity also to visit the various scenic spots in the different municipalities after or before the festivities.
By HENT