September 23, 2007 | 12:00am
August means never a dull moment in Cagayan de Oro. It's fiesta time in the City of Golden Friendship and most of the interesting and fun-filled activities begin in the third week, at the start of the novena for its patron saint Augustine. The Archdiocese of the city reminded its flock not to forget the very essence of the August celebration and that is to thank St. Augustine for the blessings received through the patron's intercessions.
It also reminded the faithful to continue praying for peace, especially in the war-torn areas of Mindanao. Mayor Constantino Jaraula said that Cagayanons should be proud of the success of the Kagay-an Festival 2007, especially the men and women who selflessly contributed to the success of the fiesta celebration.
The City, which did not spend a peso for the preparation of the festival, underscored the cooperation of private agencies through Promote CdeO Foundation which spearheaded all the major competitions that were held peacefully without hitches. The province of Misamis Oriental, whose seat of government is nestled in the heart of the city, was one with the Cagayanons in the celebration. Various municipalities showcased the one-town one-product scheme of the government in booths around the capitol. Among the nine contingents to the street dancing competition came from Balingasag town and Gingoog City which were adjudged first and second placers, respectively. The third place went to Barangay Gusa of the city. Kumbira, a culinary competition and demonstration sponsored by the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association, has further developed the skills of both the professional chefs and students of the various participating schools in the region. Awards were given to the best of the best in food preparations, presentations and table settings. Both owners and staff of restaurants and hotels were also there to learn more and to update themselves of the demands of the business.
This year's festivities were beyond the ordinary. The usual big events–the street dancing, beauty pageant, fluvial parade, and agro-industrial fair–were a showcase as more contingents from outside the city participated not only for the most coveted honor of being the best, but were one with the city in celebrating a thanksgiving. Another attraction, a first in more than thirty years, was the Golden Float parade and competition, thanks to the Department of Tourism in northern Mindanao, which brought nostalgia to those old enough to remember the fiesta events in the '60s.
For each city fiesta in the 1960s, floats were a constant attraction along with the civic military parade. The beauty pageant's contestants added more beauty to each float design which was painstakingly and proudly prepared by entities selected to participate.
For this year, 20 government agencies and private companies joined The Golden Float Competition. Each float that passed through the two-kilometer thoroughfare had moving parts and human props depicting the city's culture, history and the tourism destinations. SM, the Department of Agriculture and the Phil. Army Finance Center Producer Integrated Coop won the first, second and third places, respectively. Also participating in the parade of floats were the boy and girl scouts from the various public and private schools in the city which also vied for awards and prizes in the marching category. Daina Bagonoc of Barangay Consolacion was crowned Miss Kagay-an Tourism 2007 while Dianne Galenzoga, Natasha Mills, Maria Kris Tiu and Kathleen Marie Tabada were the first, second, third and fourth runners up, respectively. Catalino Chan III, DOT regional director for Northern Mindanao, said that the gains of this year's celebration should be sustained to help the city and the province increase its marketability in terms of tourism arrival each August.
Chan said that they envision to transform Cagayan de Oro as the "Golden Heart of Asia" at par with Cebu's "Island of the Pacific" and that of Zamboanga as the “Latin City of Asia.” Cagayan de Oro is a city that's blessed with beautiful people, gaining the City of Golden Friendship as its nickname. It's endowed with a river now known as a favorite site for white-water rafting and is also rich with other popular tourist destinations. "We are gearing towards making our city the tourist destination not only in August but the whole year round considering that we are a typhoon-free city and our tourism potentials are different from what's usual in other places," said Ruben Vegafria, chair of the Kagay-an Festival 2007.
