by: Flor Jackson
Naval, Biliran (September 20) – It’s a great celebration as the people of Naval town in the province of Biliran marks the 150th Pueblo Day on Sunday, September 26, 2010.
The town will turn 150 years old on this day since it first became a town in September 26, 1860.
According to Vice-Mayor Redentor Villordon who is this year’s chairman of the Naval 150th Pueblo Day celebration, the activities of the occasion are made simple yet meaningful for every Navaleno.
The one-day celebration will be started with a holy mass at the Naval Cathedral at 6:30 in the morning with no less than Msgr. Filomeno Bactol, Bishop of Naval as the main celebrant to be assisted by the brother priests of the diocese.
The mass will be attended by the local official and employees of Naval led by Mayor Susan Parilla and Vice-Mayor Villordon, members of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Naval, other guests and the general public.
A short program to be held at the Naval municipal grounds immediately follows the mass.
Mayor Parilla is expected to give her message to the people of Naval on this significant occasion.
The celebration of the 150th Naval Pueblo Day is highlighted by a “Suman” Festival, Naval town being noted as one of the producers of the best and tasty “suman” in region 8.
“Suman” is a delicacy made of “malagkit” rice cooked with coconut milk and wrapped with a choice of banana leaves, young coconut leaves or “anahaw leaves.
“Suman” is a product of Naval identified with the one-town-one-product (OTOP) program of the Department of Trade and Industry(DTI).
Engr. Leonardo Madeja, Municipal Planning and Development Officer who represented Vice-Mayor Villordon durig the recently held Kapihan sa PIA informed that there will be a contest in poblacion Naval of the best decorated zone using “suman” as decoration.
Attractive prizes await the zone that gets the best “suman” decoration.
Non-winning zone entries will receive consolation prizes. He added that part of the highlights of the occasion is the free manicure, pedicure,haircut and massage. Anybody who is interested, he said, may just go to the Naval municipal grounds where the free services are available.
The 150th Pueblo Day celebration will be capped by a cultural night which will be held also at the Naval municipal grounds and this will be a night of folk dances and other presentations that will highlight the history of Naval to be participated and attended by the officials and employees of LGU-Naval and also some barangay officials. (PIA-Biliran)
