The Independence Day celebration on June 12 kicks off the 74th Charter Day Anniversary of Bacolod on June 18 with Vice President Jejomar Binay as the guest of honor and speaker, Bacolod Councilor Em Ang said yesterday.

This year’s weeklong Independence Day and Charter Day celebrations will be a new event that they hope will attract visitors, not only from Bacolod but from neighboring towns and cities, because they will exhibit the history of Bacolod City through various events from June 12 to 18, she said.

Ang, chairman of the Charter Day and Independence Day celebrations, said Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who will be the guest of honor and speaker on the 114th Independence Day celebration in Bacolod City, has already confirmed that he is coming.

The Independence Day celebration on the theme “Pananagutan ng Bayan Para sa Tuwid na Daan,” will start with a flag-raising and wreath-laying at the Bacolod Public Plaza, to be followed by a program at the BAYS Center, she said.

A 30-minute grand fireworks display will cap the weeklong celebration on June 18, she added.

NEW FEATURE

Ang said a new feature of the celebration will be a weeklong trade fair and exhibit at the government center fountain area where products of the 61 barangays of Bacolod will be on display, while a carnival will be held behind the government center grounds.

She said there will also be a photo exhibit of the history of Bacolod at SM City-Bacolod and Robinsons Place Bacolod, while a job’s fair will be held on June 15 to 16 at Robinsons Place.

Other activities are an essay writing contest for the Independence Day celebration, also at Robinsons Place, she added.

Butch Gerasmo, of the City Tourism Office, said about 150 kiosks will be rented out at P1,200 at the government center grounds from June 12 to 18.

Ang said that during the Charter Day on June 18, the city officials of Bacolod and Makati, led by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay, respectively, will sign a sister-city agreement.

They have passed a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign the sister-city agreement with Makati, in behalf of Bacolod, she said.

Ang said the Ang Banwahanon Awards night will be held on June 17 at the government center lobby.

Alfonso Federez, who represented Councilor Homer Bais, said they have six nominees for the Ang Banwahanon Awards but could not reveal their names yet since the selection committee will be having their final meeting on Friday.

ANG BANWAHANON

Ang said they have decided to separate the Ang Banwahanon Award from the Charter Day celebration and hold it on June 17 so the awardees can be given appropriate honors.

The city has allocated P1 million for the Independence Day celebration and P1.4 million for the Charter Day celebration, she said adding that, because of the meager budget, most of the events are private-public partnership.

Meanwhile, Ang said a marching band will perform at 1 p.m. on June 18 to be followed by a dance festival showdown to be participated in by all the winners in barangays that have conducted dance parades or dance competitions in their areas.

She said 10 barangays have signified that they will join the dance festival showdown.

Bacolod Police Director, Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, is the parade chairman, she added.

Acting Bacolod Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said he is inviting all Bacoleños to witness the celebration at the government center, while Ang said “We should come and celebrate and be proud of our history.”*CGS

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