Champions and stakeholders of the Cagayan de Oro Historical & Cultural Commission opened a new chapter in the city’s history with the official launch of Forum Kagay-anon 390 last 27 October 2016.
Fr Dan Coronel blesses the grounds for the new building (RMB, NPN)
Forum Kagay-anon 390 sets in a motion a series of events leading to next year, 2018, which will approximately mark three centuries and nine decades of the city’s founding as a settlement in the area now occupied by the St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral and Gaston Park.
Ribbon cutting for the new museum building with Mayors Oca Moreno & Tinnex Jaraula, assisted by CTC Chair Dottie Pabayo and Hiscom Chair Dr. Linda Burton (CIO, Rhoel Condeza)
The two-day kick off started with the ribbon-cutting for Tabo as Kabilin Thursday, 27 October where books and manuscripts detailing Cagayan de Oro’s storied past were exhibited at Gaston Park. This was immediately followed by a Paseo as Kabilin where Hiscom Commissioners and Stakeholders toured the city’s four museums, Plaza Divisoria and the Cathedral-Gaston Park area.
CDO Hiscom Stakeholder Lito Muñoz leads Baylan Nahilaran and fellow Higaonon Datus around the CDO Museum. (RMB,NPN)
The next day, 28 October 2016, marked the lowering of the time capsule and ground breaking for a new Cagayan de Oro Museum building which will have a storage area for relics and archives of the city’s storied past.
Hiscom Champions City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno, former Mayor Constantino G. Jaraula and City Tourism Council Chair Dorothy Jean B. Pabayo joined Hiscom chair Dr. Erlinda M. Burton in the forefront of the day’s activities, supported by the CDO Hiscom Stakeholders and Higaonon Tribal Council.
The group proceeded to Duaw Kagay-an Park where the Higaonon datus who are also baylans (Datu Ontong/Fidel Bisoy, CDO IPMR; Baylan Intabol/Necasio Dalumpay, Baylan Nahilaran/Armando Hagonao, and Datu Masikal (Jude Jabiniar, IPMR, Bgy. Cugman) performed a pamuhat (ritual) prior to the symbolic planting of 20 Lambago tree seedlings provided by the Safer River, Life Saver Foundation, Inc. on the river bank of the Cagayan River.
The morning’s festivities were concluded by a dance presentation from the Xavier University College Dance Troupe which performed an excerpt from their upcoming Nov. 18 dance concert Cagaiang. The concert is based on Fr. Francis C. Madigan S.J.’s “The Early History of Cagayan de Oro” which tells of the early beginnings of the city starting from its first contact with Western culture in 1622 and their subsequent exodus to Kalambagohan.
The Cagayan de Oro City Cultural and Historical Commission (Hiscom) wishes to acknowledge with sincere thanks the following who helped make Forum Kagay-anon 390 a success: Mayor Oscar S. Morenoand the City Mayor’s Office (CMO), former mayor and congressman Constantino G. Jaraula, City Tourism Council Chair Dorothy Jean B. Pabayo, Maricel C. Rivera and the City Information Office, Parasat Cable TV, Philippine Information Agency Region 10, Datu Masikal Jabiniar and the City Higaonon Tribal Council, Cagayan de Oro City Museum staff, and most especially, our hardworking CDO Hiscom Stakeholdersled by Emmanuel “Lito” Muñoz and J.C. Salon.
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