MAYOR Crisostomo Garbo of Mabalacat City, Pampanga said there will be some changes in the city’s annual festival as he announced other big projects under his administration on the pilot episode of “MCG Cares” on UFM105.5 last Feb. 2.
The mayor, in an interview by radio broadcaster Jay Pelayo IV with DJ Amir and DJ Rad, revealed that from the longtime-running Caragan Festival, Mabalacat City will now celebrate the “Balacat Festival.”
The city was called Mabalacat, which means “full of Balacat” trees.
Garbo said the festival aims to pay homage to the rich culture, heritage, traditions and history of the city, and let the Mabalaquenians, especially the youth, appreciate their roots and great stories of the past.
He clarified that the Caragan will still be a part of the Balacat Festival to pay tribute to the city’s first chieftain, Aring Caragan (King Caragan), and the indigenous people of the city, the Aetas.
Another change in the annual celebration is the inclusivity of all its 27 barangays, where each will be given a space to put up their own trade fair to be headed by the barangay councils.
In addition, the Miss Mabalacat beauty pageant now includes candidates from all the barangays of the city.
Garbo discussed big projects of the local government, including the construction of its new city hall in Bgy. Mabiga, the putting up of a state-of-the-art Command Center beside the city’s fire station at San Rafael Village that will serve as the eyes of the local government, where high-end CCTV cameras to be put up all over the city can penetrate even the tinted vehicles.
He ensured that the Mabalaquenians will have a more secure and safe city to live in.
The city mayor also announced the Health and Wellness Center project of the Mabalacat LGU that will provide free laboratory tests and other medical procedures, as well as basic treatments of illnesses to Mabalaquenian patients.
Garbo coordinated with the Pampanga provincial government, through Vice Gov. Lilia “Nanay’”Pineda, to have the Mabalacat City District Hospital reestablished and renovated.
“Kasama ng aking anak, si Board Member Winwin (Garbo), tinignan namin kung ano pa ang pwede nating maitulong doon at nakita nga namin na may mga consultation room doon at pwede tayong gumawa ng ward na kung may kailangang maoperahan sa ating mga kababayan ay doon na lang. Sa gayon ay mas makakatipid tayo at may tamang coordination with the provincial government of Pampanga,” the mayor said.
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