Mandaue to mark 42nd Charter Day on Aug. 30

CEBU, Philippines - Mandaue City will celebrate its 42nd Charter Day celebration on August 30.

Mayor Jonas Cortes, in an interview with reporters, said this year's celebration, compared to past celebrations, will be simple and no national figures have been invited.

To kick off the celebration, a Mass will be held in the morning at the National Shrine of St. Joseph to be followed by a program at the City Plaza Square.

The city will only invite Rep. Luis Gabriel Quisumbing. An invitation, however, is yet to be sent.

Cortes and Quisumbing belong to different political parties but both claim to have civil relations with each other despite championing different political views.

Earlier, Cortes urged Quisumbing to pass a bill in Congress seeking the conversion of Mandaue City into a lone district.

Quisumbing said he has to consult party mates regarding the matter.           He fears that Mandaue's conversion would turn Consolacion and Cordova into orphans.

Also being lined up is for the celebration is the giving of awards to the most outstanding employees, outstanding citizens, and the model barangay.

This year's selection of the model barangay underwent a series of evaluations conducted by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundtion Inc. (Rafi).

Cortes said business taxpayers as well as new business players and investors, will be given recognition on Taxpayers' Night on August 29.

Mandaue City became a chartered city in August 30,1969 after the office of the president of the Philippines approved Republic Act 5519 or the Act Creating Mandaue City on June 21,1969. - THE FREEMAN