|
SABANGAN, Mt. Province: The second staging of the
culture-bound Gagayam Festival on Monday served as a venue for
majority of the 10 municipal mayors in the province to gather and
share views on how to bring peace and prosperity in their respective
towns.
This, as seven mayors,
including vice mayors and councilors from the 10 landlocked towns of
the province were in attendance to witness the ethnic street dancing
parade with villagers from 15 barangays participating.
Sabangan mayor Donato
Danglose welcomed to the gathering at the San Alfonso High School
gym town officials led by mayors Constito Masweng of Tadian,
Wellington Pooten of Besao, Edward Latawan of Sagada, Ana Marie
Banaag of Natonin, Franklin Odsey of Bontoc, Estanislao Fagto, and
former Sabangan mayor Jupiter Dominguez, along with the
representatives of the three other mayors not present.
Odsey, the current president of
the League of Mayors in Mountain Province, in his brief speech, said
the mayors have earlier agreed to be part of special gatherings like
festivals as a show of unity among their rank.
Banaag, who is the daughter
of slain Paracelis mayor Ceasar Rafael, received a resounding
applause from the audience when her turn to speak was announced.
Banaag, in her speech,
invited her colleagues in politics and the public to visit her town
when it celebrated the Sas-aliaw Festival from April 22 to 24. The
youthful lady mayor expressed hope that the nine other mayors will
be present during the three-day cultural festival.
This year’s staging of
the Gagayam Festival once again proved that the rich culture passed
to Sabangan villagers by their great ancestors are well-preserved
with the younger generations showing awareness and concern for their
distinct culture and tradition.
This year, villagers from
barangay Namatec were declared grand champion in the street dancing
competition, one of the main highlights of the event. The next
scheduled festivity is the Lang-ay festival, which kicks off on
April 1.
--Harley F. Palangchao
|
