Roy C. Gaane also organized Tapok & Duaw Kagay-an
The late founder of Kagay-anon International was honored during the relaunch of the Duaw Kagay-an Park held last Saturday, 27 February 2016.
Ribbon cutting at Duaw Kagay-an Park Feb. 27, 2016 (L-R) CTC Chair Dottie Pabayo, Hisccom Chair Linda Burton, DOT-X RD Butch Chan, Mayor Oscar Moreno, Gerlou Gaane, Kagayanon-Int’l (photo by Tom Udasco)
Roy Chaloner Gaane, who passed away in California last January 14, 2016 at the age of 74, was an esteemed member of the Cagayan de Oro Tourism Council (CTC) as Chairman of its Overseas Committee in 2014.
“Through his outstanding leadership, he was able to galvanize the support of fellow Kagay-anons in North America in the establishment of the Duaw Park, as well as in spearheading other tourism-related activities involving his native city,” said Dorothy Jean B. Pabayo, CTC chair. “His love and untiring efforts for the betterment of Cagayan de Oro City, even from afar, had been a lifelong commitment. This is his legacy. And for this, he will be dearly missed.”
Over a hundred balikbayans led by Gaane’s wife Gerlou Docdocil-Gaane and his daughter Anjanette, braved a drizzle to attend the relaunch of Duaw Kagay-an Park.
City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno, Ms. Pabayo and the Gaane family unveiled a new marker recognizing the movers and donors who were responsible for the restoration of Duaw Kagay-an Park.
Kagay-anon International Founder & President Roy C. Gaane holds the image of the Birhen sa Kota with some friends from the local clergy during a visit in August, 2011
Earlier Saturday morning, a replica of the Birhen sa Kota sa Cagayan de Oro (Our Blessed Lady of the Holy Rosary) was blessed by Msgr. Florencio Salvador, SSJV with the assistance of Fr. Jose Daniel D. Coronel, SSJV, a member of the newly reconstituted Cagayan de Oro City Historical and Cultural Commission and over a hundred devotees of the “Sabadohan”, a weekly devotion dedicated to the Birhen sa Kota.
The icon sculpted by Errol Balcos is located within Duaw Kagay-an Park at the approximate place where an apparition of the Virgin of the Holy Rosary originally appeared to save the early settlement from an attacking force of slave raiders.
History of Duaw Kagay-an Park
Duaw Park was established in 1987 when 120 Kagay-anons from the U.S. and Canada made a historic journey home to Cagayan de Oro in August 1987 after years of self-exile to escape martial law.
Then Mayor Pablo P. “Ambing” Magtajas proposed that the side of the old tennis court by the river bank across the City Hall be created as the DUAW KAGA-AN PARK. Gaane had the honor of cutting the ribbon for the opening ceremony and with a year, walkways were paved and the park was turned into a beautiful garden with benches.
May 12, 2014 at Duaw Kagayan reception at Bgy Tourism Hall
However, the park deteriorated through the years and the Duaw park monument washed away by the rampaging floodwaters of Tropical Storm Sendong in December, 2011.
The park remained unattended following the Sendong disaster until Mayor Moreno was sworn into office last June, 2013 and Ms. Pabayo worked with Mr. Gaane to muster assistance from overseas Kagay-anons through Kagay-anon International, raising US$9,300 and some corporate sponsorships to restore it.
Kagay-anon International , Tapok & Duaw Kagay-an
The City Government honored Gaane with a plaque of recognition for his untiring efforts to continue assisting his beloved city even from afar.
XU High School Class of 1964 Dec 27, 2014
His daughter Anjanette related how her late father worked tirelessly to promote and assist his beloved city, initially through the Mindanao Alliance Association, the Ateneo Alumni Association, and later through his baby, Kagay-anon International, which started as a simple newsletter to update overseas Kagay-anons about current events in the city, and of their activities and milestones abroad.
“In 1982 he started TAPOK with the help of Chicago Kagay-anons, and these gatherings have continued with the 15th TAPOK in Vancouver (Canada) last year and the upcoming one in San Francisco in 2017,” she related.
Roy with Mayor Moreno and family at Vancouver for the 15th Tapok of Kagay-anon International
Parallel with TAPOK but still under the auspices of Kagayanon International, Roy also organized DUAW sa KAGAY-AN wherein overseas Kagay-anons, especially those staying in North America, visit the Cagayan de Oro. This has since been observed every two years, alternating with the TAPOK in the U.S. or Canada, where Kagay-anons gather to celebrate their city and origins.
Due to his charismatic personality, vision, tenacity and hard work, Roy has forged an incomparable camaraderie and fellowship among Kagay-anons here and abroad. No wonder one of his cyber friends called him “The Mayor of Cagayan de Oro in America.”
Duaw Kagay-an Park Marker
As Anjanette so aptly puts it, “I have heard Kagay-anons say many times how Roy epitomized Cagayan de Oro as the City of Golden Friendship because of his heart of gold. People were drawn to him because of his kindness, generosity and ability to make people feel important, at ease and to move a group to work together for a common goal.”
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