Northern Mindanao’s premier city and gateway marks its 67th anniversary as a city today, June 15, 2017 with a full schedule of events set within the 3rd Himugso Festival.
The all-day festivities kick off at 6:30AM at Kiosko Kagawasan in historic Plaza Divisoria with flag raising and program highlighted by the unveiling of the portraits of the proponents of the City Charter: Rep. Pedro Sa. Baculio, Rep. Emmanuel Pelaez and Hon. Maximo Y. Suniel. The immediate relatives and kin of the three personalities have been invited to grace the occasion.
Pedro Sa. Baculio
Emmanuel Pelaez
Rep. Pedro Sa. Baculio, congressional representative for Misamis Oriental from 1946-1948, (at this time included Camiguin and Cagayan de Oro) authored and filed the cityhood bill for Cagayan de Oro during the 1stCongress in 1948, along with the bills creating the Municipalities of Jasaan, Manticao and El Salvador.
However, he lost in the subsequent election to Rep. Emmanuel Pelaez who reintroduced House Bill No. 54 “An Act Creating the City of Cagayan de Oro”during the 2nd Congress and Pres. Elpidio Quirino signed the city charter at 11:30AM of June 15, 1950.
Signing of the City Charter on June 15, 1950 by Pres. Elpidio Quirino.
The first appointed (as municipal mayor while Cagayan was still a municipality) and subsequently elected mayor of the new Cagayan de Oro City was Maximo Y. Suniel who served from 1948-1953. He was succeeded by Pedro Sa. Baculio (1953-1954) and Justiniano R. Borja who served from 1954-1964.
Former House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. with Tirso S. Limbonhai (photo courtesy notkattywatty)
After the unveiling of the portraits carved in wood by Kagay-anon artist Nicolas Aca, the mayor would also be presenting a plaque of recognition to Tirso S. Limbonhai, chairman emeritus of the Cagayan de Oro Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.
The City Mayor’s Annual Report follows.
Following the Mayor’s report, the GAMA tour guides will conduct free walking tours for interested parties of historic Plaza Divisoria and the Gaston Park area. Interested parties can register at the City Tourism Showhouse at Plaza Divisoria. Free windshield tours of the city government’s key projects will also be conducted for interested parties from the same venue.
The day’s festivities will also be marked by the launch of the Sinuglaw Festival which is the official kick-off for the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (COHARA) for its Kumbira Culinary Festival set for the fiesta month of August and the city’s Higalaay Festival.
All member restaurants would be featuring this unique Kagay-anon dish in their menu during this time as part of the run-up to Kumbira, the largest culinary event in the Philippines outside Metro Manila.
The 67th Cagayan de Oro City Charter Day is the second highlight of this year’s 3rd Himugso Festival, following the Philippine Independence Day celebration last June 12. The festival kicked off last May 29 with National Flag Day and the Launching of the Resource Materials on the History of Cagayan de Oro at the XU Little Theatre last May 13 and the Himugso 2017 Cinemagis Film Festival featuring award-winning films by Kagay-anon film makers.
Himugso continues with nightly Serenatas at the Activity Center of Centrio Mall (June 16, Friday, 4PM-8PM) and at the Event Center, 2nd floor, Limketkai Mall on June 17, Saturday.
The 3rd Himugso Festival winds up on June 19 with the Centennial Celebration of the Jose Rizal monument at Plaza Divisoria which is also the 154th birth anniversary of our National Hero. Festivities for this event will be headed by the Knights of Rizal and the Freemasons.
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