Albay marks month-long celebration of Magayon fest

LEGAZPI CITY – It’s all-systems-go for Albay’s month-­long Magayon Festival this month.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said this year’s version of what used to be May-time series of festivities launched by then governor and now Rep. Al Francis Bichara will be celebrated with a difference – focus on environment and education.

“The Magayon Festival 2008 soars beyond ordinary revelry and merrymaking. It strives to replicate, if not surpass, standards set during its founding nine years ago,” Salceda said.

With the theme “Albay Rising!,” the governor puts relentless efforts to bring the province back to its feet after its devastation from typhoons Milenyo and Reming.

The symbolic colors, which have brightened up the Capitol environs where the festival will be celebrated, are green and white.

Himself, being called the “green economist,” Salceda said this year’s festival will focus on climate change adaptation to reawaken visitors and locals on the need to protect the environment.

This year’s Magayon festival executive committee head is Provincial Board Member Glenda Bongao.

Manuel “Nong” Rangasa, executive consultant and head of the newly-created Center for Initiatives and Research on Climate Adaptation, said that some Magayon activities used the arts as a colorful medium for dramatizing environmental issues. The “Pintados sa Magayon” and a mural painting contest tackle themes on climate change.

“This will be the first ever competition of this kind in the Philippines,” Rangasa said.

“We will use the power of culture and arts to help both the individual and the community foster awareness and understanding of the adverse impacts of climate change,” he said.

To cap the environmentally-oriented events, a two-day International Youth Congress on Climate Change will be held at the Albay Astrodome toward the end of the festival.

Youth involvement this year will also be a key concern, Salceda said.

Dr. Ligaya Palcon, provincial coordinator for education, said the search, which culminates with the staging of “Titser’s Nyt,” is one answer the provincial government is providing after Albay ranked 184th out of 188 schools divisions nationwide among low performers in the academe sector.