Navotas gears up for centennial celebration

The coastal town of Navotas, once a fishing village that was part of Malabon City, is preparing for a weeklong grand celebration to mark its centennial on Jan. 16.

Highlighting the festivities is the inauguration of the town’s new landmark, the Navotas Centennial Park, on C-4 Road, Barangay Bagumbayan North.

The Centennial Park enshrines the town’s battle cry, "Angat Navotas sa Maunlad na Bukas." It symbolizes the town’s quest to become a progressive and vibrant community.

According to Mayor Toby Tiangco, while his town has already achieved several accomplishments, there is still a lot to be done.

"I still have grand plans for the town. I strongly believe that we can achieve our full potential for growth and development if we continue to pursue our dream of a better tomorrow," Tiangco said.

Known as the Pangisdaan Festival, the celebration, which carries the theme "Navotas: Maunlad na Bayan sa Sentenaryong Pagdiriwang," will begin tomorrow with an Ecumenical Service at 8 a.m. at the Centennial Park.

Other activities lined up for the event are a job fair, trade fair, motorcade, calisthenics competition, launching of the town’s history book, street dancing, bird show, Pagoda (boat) parade, coronation of Centennial Mutya ng Navotas, medical and dental mission, drum and lyre competition, and fireworks display.

On Jan. 16, the last day of the festival, a historical parade led by Tiangco, Vice Mayor PJ Javier, and other local officials would be held at 12 noon on C-4 Road.

Navotas became a town in 1906 and now has 14 barangays with a population of 250,000.

It has received several awards and citations in the past, making it one of the country’s most competitive and productive local government units.

It won the Metro Manila’s cleanest and greenest municipality award in 2001, 2003, and 2004; best peace and order council in 2003, 2004, 2005; best municipal jail, 2001, 2002; best municipal police station, 2001, 2002; best drug abuse council, 2003; and outstanding LGU for literacy program in 2002.