Thursday, December 11, 2008

City residents, groups spruce up PGC’s Christmas mood

REMAI ALEJADO
Provincial Press Bureau

About 100 institutions, organizations, people’s groups and establishments all over the province participated in making giant Christmas symbols, decorations, lights, nativity scene models, lanterns and arches at the Provincial Government Center (PGC).

The said group effort is part of the Provincial Government-initiated festivity called “Pasko Nato 2008,” which will open tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 12.

Provincial Tourism Officer Anthony Frederick “Taton” Padayhag said Gov. Aurora Cerilles has nudged various entities and individuals to smarten up the Agri-Heritage Tourism Complex for the yuletide season.

The assembled structures now form part of the competition, which includes 27 Christmas décors and LGU booths; 16 lighted trees by campuses of the JH Cerilles State College; 11 sets of lanterns made of indigenous materials representing the participating puroks in Brgy. Dao.

Government regional offices in the city also made their dazzling Christmas symbols while Zamsureco-I, PICE- Zambosur chapter, Zambosur Gov’t. Employees Association, Greater Pagadian Jaycees and Cooperative Bank of Zamboanga del Sur erected their Belens.

Six arches can also be seen around the complex, constructed by DepEd’s QUALCI Zambosur Division.

Padayhag brags a great number of visitors from neighboring places will come and see for themselves the “Pasko Nato 2008” since these people will be motivated to come after reading MINDANAO MONITOR illuminating the Christmas landscape at AHC.

For Cerilles, all she wanted was to make an impression that the PGC area will become a talk-of-the-town among visiting tourists.

An Aguinaldo mass will be held every dusk from Dec. 16-24 inside PGC’s barangay chapel while a train-like ride called “Tram” will ferry visitors to and fro inside the vicinity.