P9.5M earmarked for Mandaue fiesta

CEBU, Philippines - Mandaue City has allotted  P9.5 million in budget for this year's fiesta celebration with more cultural activities on hand.

Dubbed as the "Midyear Cultural Summit," the city's 45th fiesta celebration will kick off  with a motorcade on April 28 and will finish on May 30 through the "Gabii  sa Kabilin" or Night of  Heritage,  a yearly metro-wide event organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation .

During the media launch last Friday, city treasurer Regal Oliva said the city has set aside P8 million for the activities.

Taga-Mandaue Inc. and the Cultural Historical Education Sports and Tourism Foundation, which are co-organizing the fiesta celebration with City Hall, are expected to raise another P1.5 million for the fiesta events.

"This Midyear Cultural Summit will showcase the best of Mandaue," said Amado Go, president of Chest and chair of  the fiesta executive committee.

The city celebrates the feast day of  St. Joseph, its patron saint, every May 8 of the year.

Unlike last year where the organizers held the Panagtagbo Festival street dancing and showdown in the month of January, before the Traslacion, this time it will be witnessed on May 3.

Mayor Jonas Cortes explained during the launch that the event was canceled last January due to the calamities that hit Central Visayas, including the city, during the last quarter of last year. He said contingents coming from the 27 barangays of the city are now prepping up for the said street dancing and grand showdown.

Meanwhile, the 12 candidates in the search for Ms. Mandaue 2014, another fiesta highlight, were also presented to the media last Friday. The coronation night is slated on May 7.

Editha Cortes, chair of  the fiesta finance committee, said the proceeds from some of the fund-raising events like the trade fair and the Queen and Prince and Princess of Mandaue will go to the Hope of  Mandaue (Home) project.

The Home is a center for street children and children in conflict with the law that the city government is building in Barangay Basak. Sarah Walker-Cortes, the mayor's wife, is overseeing the project.

With the fiesta activities coinciding with major road works, Mayor Cortes appealed to the public, including the revelers, to bear with the traffic but he assured that contingency plans are in place.

Other highlights of the fiesta activities are Mandaue's Got Talent (April 28), Symphony of Fire Grand Fireworks Display (May 8), Balikbayan Night (May 10) and a Mass Wedding (May 29).

There will also be nightly cultural activities that will be done at the City Hall Plaza square spearheaded by the Mandaue City College with the participation of the city's different public schools.  (FREEMAN)