Manila holds parade in runup to 441st anniversary

MANILA, Philippines - Employees of the Manila City government showcased their talents during a parade Monday as part of the activities leading up to the city’s 441st anniversary on June 24.

During the occasion, Mayor Alfredo Lim thanked thousands of city employees for their support, which he said they showed by rendering the best service there can be for the residents and those transacting business at the city hall.

Lim and key city officials spearheaded the parade, in which employees wearing costumes and bearing props performed numbers that highlighted the kind of work their department does.

He congratulated the employees for their effort in making the affair colorful and lively as he urged them to continue giving the kind of service that the residents deserve and expect.

After the program, Lim proceeded to award parcels of land to qualified residents of Manila under the city government’s “land for the landless” program. Urban settlements chief Victoria Clavel said Monday was the 13th time since July 2007 that Lim has awarded land to deserving beneficiaries.

She said the 42 families were actual occupants of city-owned land covered by the program. Most of the recipients come from Tondo, Sampaloc, Pandacan and Sta. Mesa.

Lim told the recipients that the city government merely wants to help them realize their dream of living on their own land.

As of Monday, Clavel said there are already 6,694 lot beneficiaries under the city’s land distribution program, which started in 1967. Of these, 1,449 families or 21.64 percent were awarded land since July 2007, after Lim’s re-election.

Manila will also hold the first “laughter yoga” gathering at the Bonifacio Shrine today and tomorrow. The event was organized by the Manila Sports Council and the city tourism department and participants will come from the ranks of city employees and students in colleges and universities within the city. – Sandy Araneta, Rey Galupo