BONTOC, Mtn. Province – Two important events are now the focus of preparations of concerned personnel of the provincial government and the private sector. Next year would be the 50th Foundation Day anniversary of the province and 13th Lang-ay Festival.
The Steering Committee held its second meeting last October 6, 2016 to finalize the program and activities for the launching of the twin events on October 24, 2016.
Atty. Amador Batay-an, the Provincial Administrator, had said that next year would be the “Golden anniversary” of the province and that celebrations would be elaborate.
“We have to launch the two events this early to give ample preparations for the golden anniversary of the foundation of the province”, he said.
The partnership of the government and private sector has been once again invoked as the provincial governor Bonifacio Lacwasan invited the Lang-ay Festival Organization to spearhead the preparations for the Lang-ay Festival 2017.
Being aware that the province would be 50 years old next year, the provincial administrator facilitated the concerted efforts of the government and private sectors in preparing for the twin events.
The final theme for the two simultaneous events is “Mountain Province at 50: Reminiscing and fostering our cultural Integrity” after it went through diligent discussions by the committee members.
The theme would encompass the opportunity for reflections of the people over the past fifty (50) years of the province and as it strides towards nurturing its cultural heritage.
Atty. Roland Calde, the Regional Director othe National Commission for the Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Cordillera Administrative Region, would be the guest speaker in recognition of the culminating activity of the IP Month.
It was a repeat of the 2014 event as the Lang-ay Festival was also launched in the similar occasion.
In the first meeting of the Steering Committee last September 28, 2016, the participants initially decided to adopt the programs and activities of the Lang-ay Festival 2016 which was aborted by the suddenly death of the late Governor Leonard Mayaen.
The start of the Lang-at Festival 2017 would have to be March 31, 2017 but that it would have to be moved to a later date as the date would coincide with the first death anniversary of the late governor.
The Lang-ay Festival Organization has managed the staging of the provincial festival in the past two years. Both were also launched in the months of October, first in 2014, then in 2015.
By ROGER SACYATEN
