69th Cebu City Charter Day moved to Feb 22

The 69th Charter Day celebration of the city of Cebu will be moved to February 22 from February 24 to allow for the attendance of President Arroyo.

The city government will be spending P3 million for the celebration as Mayor Tomas Osmeña considers the activity as a sort of "dress rehearsal" for the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit this December wherein Cebu will be one of host venues.

Since Osmeña assumed as mayor in 2001, this would be the first time the city will be spending lavishly for the charter day. However, he stressed that nothing will be special on the opening celebration, as the glitz will all be poured during the awarding ceremony with a grand production.

Osmeña said he will be issuing a political statement on the day of the celebration as he will show to the President that Cebu is ready to host the Asean Summit come December amid suspicions that some national government officials are working on the transfer of the venue.

The mayor also announced he will ask Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Cebu City first lady Margot to dance for the grand finale of the charter day celebration.

Like what transpired during the closing ceremony of the 26th Sinulog Mardi Gras, presentations depicting glimpses of the cultures of the 14 member-countries of the ASEAN will be featured. - Garry B. Lao