This week’s milestones: July 7 to July 13
July 8, 2021
The Butao hydroelectric plant, which has a capacity of 1,350 kilowatts and is linked to the 13.8-kilovolt backbone of the Pangasinan Electric Cooperative III, was inaugurated in San Manuel, Pangasinan. It was built to supplement the electricity supply from the Luzon grid and to provide irrigation to surrounding farmlands. The plant sources fresh water from the irrigation system of National Irrigation Administration (NIA), through the Butao Irrigation Drop that is part of the Agno River Integrated System. The plant was developed under a memorandum of agreement signed by the NIA and Mindoro Grid Corp., with the groundbreaking taking place in June 2019. The project was completed in 2021, with an expected lifespan of 30 years.
July 10, 2004
By virtue of Republic Act No. 9264, signed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Santa Rosa was converted into a component city of the landlocked province of Laguna. Back then, Santa Rosa was a slow-paced, rustic town where people were largely dependent on basic agriculture and family-owned enterprises for livelihood. However, due to the influence of industrialization and the entry of local and foreign investors, as well as the opening of the South Luzon Expressway in the 1980s, Santa Rosa was transformed into a haven for both local and foreign investments. It was then dubbed the “investment capital of Southern Luzon’’ and the “gateway” of the Calabarzon region. Santa Rosa lies southeast of Metro Manila.
July 13, 2017
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines installed a historical marker at Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Hospital (DJRMH) in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. Established on June 19, 1916, under Legislative Act No. 2663, DJRMH was built by the Americans to honor Rizal, who stayed and established a clinic in the area during his exile from 1892 to 1896. This clinic contributes greatly to the locals. DJRMH initially had a 15-bed capacity and was first named the Rizal Memorial Hospital. During World War II, it became a soldiers’ hospital, but after the liberation, it further grew and expanded. Under Republic Act No. 8200 in 1996, this hospital was upgraded into a 200-bed tertiary hospital with technical supervision from the Department of Health.
This week’s festival
T’nalak Festival (July 11 to July 18)
Dancers perform during the culmination of Tnalak Festival, July 18, 2015 in Koronadal City, South Cotabato. —Jeoffrey Maitem
The T’nalak Festival is an annual celebration in the province of South Cotabato that honors the T’nalak cloth and weaving. This cloth is a symbol of the rich cultural heritage of the T’boli community in the province. This festival was founded in 1999 after National Artist Lang Dulay, a renowned T’boli woman, received the Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan in 1998 from then President Fidel V. Ramos for her excellent T’nalak craftsmanship. Since then, it has been celebrated with a harmonious convergence of art, music, dance and spirituality. Beyond its cultural prominence, the T’nalak festival has become a significant driver of local tourism and economic growth.
Compiled by: Nathalie Grace Adalid, Inquirer Research
Sources: Inquirer Archives, Provincial Government of South Cotabato Official Facebook Page, Joaquin “Kikang” UY official Facebook page, Barangay Carmen official Facebook page, southcotabato.gov.ph, pna.gov.ph, djrmh.doh.gov.ph, nhcphistoricsites.blogspot.com, santarosacity.gov.ph, mirror.pia.gov.ph
