Cagayan de Oro goes global

Going global. That is the latest thrust of Cagayan de Oro's local government and it was evident in the recently concluded fiesta celebration.

Seventeen days of fun-filled and meaningful events marked the feast of the city's patron saint, St. Augustine. It was the longest fiesta celebration ever recorded in the history of the city since a Spanish priest introduced St. Augustine to its residents in 1649.

The festivities lasted from August 12 until the feast day itself, August 28.

Mayor Vicente Emano described the long celebration as a realization of an event because the people have united for a purpose, which is to bring Cagayan de Oro to the rest of the world.

Emano, who rarely delivers speeches in forums, was articulate in his message in every opportunity that he was made to speak. He underscored the need for the Cagayanons and the people of Mindanao to unite for the island's development.

"We have shown to the world that when we do things together, we can do so much and achieve greater heights of progress," Emano said in one of his speeches.

He said that the gains of the city in terms of development are not for the present generation alone, but rather that the united effort toward development is for the future citizens of the city and the rest of Mindanao.

"We endeavor to build roads, bridges and pathways to peace and progress not only for us today but for those who will come after us, the future children of this city," Emano added.

The Tsada Kagay-an Festival, a street dancing competition, was introduced in this year's festivities and was brought to the fore when the city government recognized the need for an identity distinctly that of the city and its people.

The word "tsada," which means beautiful or nice, is a term used only by Cagayanons.

The Festival's organizers encouraged the participants to be in gold attire in line with the city's name De Oro and its renowned title as the City of Golden Friendship, and that for their dance interpretation to reflect the history of the city and its culture.

Councilor Jose "Benjo" Benaldo, executive chair of this year's celebration, said that the holding of the Tsada Festival was the beginning of a showcase to sell the city globally.

"We have started and there is no turning back. We have our potentials and we should develop them to attract more investors and tourists to our city," Benaldo said.

Two of the highlights during the fiesta celebration were the search of Miss Cagayan de Oro and the Lambagohan Festival of boat racing, fluvial parade, white water rafting, jetski and kayaking demonstration and other water sports.

Rhia Rita Abalos, the pageant's committee chair, was the brains behind its success. Pageant hopefuls passed a rigid process where a series of interviews were conducted to determine the intellectual ability of each applicant before she could qualify to join the contest proper itself. "We want to have a crowned beauty queen who can speak about Cagayan de Oro wherever she may go. Her physical attributes would only play second to her intelligence," Abalos stressed.

Each of the 15 chosen candidates was asked to submit a project proposal which she had to defend in front of the selection committee. The winners would then have the opportunity to implement their respective projects with the help of the city government.

This year's Miss Cagayan de Oro is Kaye Manansala, 21, a Tourism, Hotel and Restaurant Management student of Liceo de Cagayan University. First runner-up and Miss Tourism was Jedyl Jamaca, 19, a student of Xavier University and captain of the said school's debating team. She also won the Darling of the Press award. 2nd runner-up was Wendie Olape, 21, a graduate of Xavier University and an aspiring flight stewardess. She was also the winner in the Best in Swimsuit and the Best in Long Gown Formal Attire.

3rd runner-up was Maria Melody Ann Nadal, a graduating nursing student of the Liceo de Cagayan University who was also chosen as the Best in Short Dress attire. 4th runner-up was Irish Ascuna, 22, a CPA and a graduate of Xavier University, who also won the Best Tourism project.

The Lambagohan Festival held at the Cagayan River was highlighted by the fluvial parade of adorned floats/boats made of indigenous materials, onboard were performers who danced to the beat of the drums.

This festival was not only organized for water sports and other water events but it was also meant to awaken the consciousness of the city residents to the history of the river and the many possibilities it would bring in tandem with the city's development. More importantly, the said festival's aim was to heighten the awareness of the residents on the protection of the river, a campaign spearheaded by Mayor Emano.

This year's Fluvial Parade competition winners were Barangays Iponan, Gusa and Puntod which won first, second and third respectively.

It was in 1649 when Fray Agustin de San Pedro introduced to the early Cagayanons St. Augustine as their patron saint whose feast day is on August 28.

Fr. Agustin de San Pedro first came to what is now Cagayan de Oro in 1622, at the fortress of Himologan by the Cagayan River, to help Datu Salansang's defense against the attacking warriors of Sultan Kudarat. Before Fr. De San Pedro became a priest, he studied architecture, gunnery and acquired military skills at the University of Salamanca in Spain.

He trained the warriors of Datu Salansang and led them to battle against the Maguindanaos whom they defeated. Eventually, Datu Salansang and wife embraced Christianity, became the first Catholic converts, chose St. Augustine as their patron saint and celebrated his feast day since then.

In 1890, Lt. Col. Jose de Togores, the governor who loved to celebrate the fiesta of the then town of Cagayan de Oro in a grandiose and lavish manner, awed the people when he erected a 30-meter-tall replica of the Eiffel tower of Paris and adorned the town with foliage, arches, flags and lanterns. When he inaugurated a new public market, one of the lined-up fiesta activities, a fountain of tuba or native palm wine was the main attraction for all the guests to drink.

Musicians and artists from as far as Jimenez, Mambajao and Mahinog came to Cagayan and played uninterrupted music while accompanied by masked revelers in elegant costumes. Some of them were on horseback and carried beautiful lanterns. Various sports activities were showcased, one of which was the contest among men on horseback as to who gets the half-buried geese on the ground a kilometer away. Cagayan River was also a host to a number of water sports then. That particular fiesta celebration ended on August 31.