Tagum sets gaze on “future perfect”

Preparing itself for a “future perfect” as it marches towards becoming a highly-urbanized city, this booming Mindanao city marked its 20th cityhood anniversary with a show of force, projecting a united Tagumenyo community ready to brace for the future.

A mammoth crowd of 37,000 Tagumenyos participated in this year’s civic and military parade in commemoration of the foundation of Tagum as a component city last March 7, 2018. This is a larger crowd compared to last year’s participants numbering to 30,000 only.

Mayor Allan L. Rellon, in his State of the City Address in the afternoon, rallied on Tagumenyos to continue pitching in their share to create a better future of Tagum.

This was the central theme of the local chief executive’s State of the City Address where he outlined the development of Tagum at all fronts, along with future plans aimed at intensifying infrastructure development to better project Tagum as an ideal hub for settlement and investment.

Mayor Rellon’s SOTCA, his fourth one since assuming the city’s highest post, was attended by local officials, members of the diplomatic corps, civic leaders, representatives of various national line agencies and the ordinary Tagumenyos.

A Musikahan International Convergence Concert was held after the SOTCA as a bold testament to the city’s readi- ness to embrace the international community in its goal of globalization. Performers from China, South Korea, South America, South Africa, Malaysia, Turkey, Germany and Japan participated in the concert.

The local government also rolled out the red carpet for the top individual and corporate taxpayers in the annual Tagumpay Awards, along with Ms. Julia Mica Serad and Ms. Kris Kyle Quinco who won medals in the World Championship for the Performing Arts held in California, USA. The Tagum City Chamber Chorale was also awarded for winning Gold Diploma during the Sing N’ Pray International Chorale Competition held in Japan.

Serving as the guest of honor and keynote speaker during the 20th Araw ng Tagum was House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez who shared some details of the on-going projects and those that are in the pipeline that will help boost Tagum’s image as an emerging urban hub of Mindanao.

A grand fireworks display capped off the celebration, signaling the end of the city’s 5-in-1 International Celebration which included the Musikahan Festiva, among others.Louie Lapat/CIO Tagum