Foreign execs, diplomats to grace Cebu’s anniversary activities

FOREIGN dignitaries from a Geneva-based think tank and Hong Kong diplomats are expected to attend  some of the month-long activities marking the 442nd anniversary of the province of Cebu.

The province will celebrate its anniversary on Aug. 6 but activities relating to the anniversary will be held throughout the month.

Elizabeth Francia, the governor’s chief of staff, said the province would be expecting foreign dignitaries from The South Center, a Geneva- based Intergovernmental Policy Think Tank made up of 51 countries, would hold their board meeting here and would attend the province’s activities in the first week.

The province will host a welcome dinner on Aug. 4 for the South Center dignitaries.

Francia said that another group of Hong Kong diplomats were also expected to arrive on the third week of August and attend some of the province’s activities of the week.

The province is also expecting some 25,000 visitors to attend the One Expo at the Cebu International Convention Center.

Francia said that local officials from Cebu’s sister province of Ilocos Norte and South Cotabato would attend the week-long expo and the the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Festival of Festivals.

One Cebu Expo is a yearly event that began in 2004. Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia during her July 15 State of the Province Address said that there would be 400 exhibitors for the expo.

Garcia described the theme for the 442nd anniversary as a reechoing of President Benigno Aquino III’s slogan of “daan matuwid (the right path).”

The province’s anniversary theme is “Sugbo: Nagasubay sa Tukmang Dalan” (Cebu: Following the right path).

“Nagasubay na ta tukma. The straight path may not be always the right path. What is important is you are following the right path and making the right decision,” she said.

The province is also expecting more than 300 nationwide delegates of the  MICE (Meetings Incentive Conference Exhibit) Conference to attend the event, which is one of the province’s anniversary activities.

The anniversary celebration’s month-long activities will open on Aug. 1 at the Capitol grounds, which will be attended by the town mayors.

The Agro Fair at the Capitol’s parking lot will also open on Monday and also the “Women Trailblazers Exhibit” at the Capitol’s dome area.

Other highlights for the week will be the Governor’s Ball and the “Garbo sa Sugbo” (Pride of Cebu) awards which will be held at the Capitol’s Social Hall.

It is an award giving body that gives recognition to outstanding Cebuanos and institutions in the field of business, government service, music and culture and others.

An anniversary mass will be held on Saturday morning at Capitol. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus