Drilon keynotes ‘Dia’ program
Zamboanga City turns 73 years old today, as it marks the day when the city was inaugurated as a charter on in 1937 with the late Hon. Nicasio Valderozza as the first appointed mayor and five others as members of the City Council.
Former Senator Franklin Drilon, who was one of the city’s strongest allies in the fight against the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain-Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (MOA-AD), will be the keynote speaker during the commemorative program set to be held at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex in Baliwasan at 3 p.m.
The celebration today will kick off with the grand civic military parade in the city’s main thoroughfares at 1 p.m. Participants will converge at the grandstand in Baliwasan where the city seal and the drum and lyre competitions will be held. Prior to the program, the Philippine Marine Skydiving Team will perform before the Zamboanguenos as an added attraction.
Themed Zamboanga: Probao y Aprobao, the 73rd Dia de Zamboanga celebration enunciates the city’s track record of accomplishment and performance and the city’s record as a city that has been tried and tested.
Commonwealth Act Number 139 otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Zamboanga was approved on October 12, 1936 by President Manuel L. Quezon. The celebration of the Dia de Zamboanga every February 26 is based on resolution 669 approved on Oct. 15, 1986 declaring Feb. 26, 1987 as the 50th anniversary of the formal inauguration of Zamboanga as a chartered city and proclaiming February 26th of every air year as Dia de la Ciudad de Zamboanga.
Last night, Mayor Lobregat led city officials in feting the 10 awardees in the Search for 2010 Local Achievers during formal ceremonies held at the Garden Orchid Convention center.
Other highlights of the celebration include the Awarding ceremony for most outstanding Zamboanguenos at 7 p.m. on February 25 at the Garden Orchid Convention Center; grand civic military parade with the competicion de selyo de Zamboanga and inter-school drum and lyre competition 1p.m. and the commemorative program at 3 p.m. at the Joaquin Enriquez Grandstand on February 26 with former Senator Franklin Drilon as guest of honor.
Other events are the 13th Celso L. Lobregat Cup-Dart Tournament Feb. 26-27 at the Ram’s Beer Garden; Crimson Mania (a mini-concert, fashion show and dinner for a cause) Feb. 26; Sam Concepcion Live in Zamboanga on Feb. 27 at the City Coliseum in Tetuan; 3rd Mayor Celso L. Lobregat Lawn Tennis Tournament Feb. 27-28 in Pettit Barracks and the 1st Dia de Zamboanga Invitational Mountain Bike Circuit Challenge Feb. 28 at the Pasonanca Park. (Sheila Covarrubias)