Misamis Oriental celebrates Kuyamis festival
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – IN LINE WITH THE RECENTLY held Kuyamis Festival, the Misamis Oriental provincial government has opened a farmer’s market every Friday and Saturday starting Jan. 19. Set up at the provincial capitol ground, the farmer’s market showcases the organic produce of farmers from the various towns in Misamis Oriental.
Governor Yevgengy Vincente Emano and Vice Governor Joey Pelaez spearheaded the ribbon cutting for the farmer’s market in a ceremony attended by the farmers and local officials.
Now on its 5th year, the Kuyamis Festival was celebrated from Jan. 8 to 12, in line with the province’s 88th founding anniversary. Kuyamis was started by Emano when he became the province’s chief executive in 2013. Prior to that, the event was then known as “Salo Tabo.”
The weeklong festivities kicked off with holy mass at the Nazareno Church. Also among the much-anticipated events of the festival were street dancing, the Ms. Kuyamis pageant and fashion show, and the first-ever Ms. Gay Misamis Oriental.
Shows and contests were held including dance competitions, best in agri-tourism booth, culinary and cooking demonstrations, and sports events at the provincial capitol grounds, added Pelaez.
Meanwhile, the provincial Public Employment Services Office (PESO) also conducted a job fair as part of the Kuyamis Festival. In a statement, PESO said thousands of potential workers are needed for local, national and international jobs through direct or agency-channeled hiring. “Gov. Emano is urging the unemployed, job seekers and even teenagers to grab the opportunity to choose decent jobs, and to give everyone a chance to live bountiful lives,” PESO said.
Emano said the provincial government and participating local government units and organizations had started making the necessary preparations as early as December last year. “My people, as usual, will be in high spirits again as we celebrate this very big event in our province,” said Emano. The festival, he said, showcased the beauties and wonders of the province and highlighted the local produce of the municipalities under the One Town One Product (OTOP) program. In keeping with its “Explore Mis-Or” tourism slogan, Emano invited local and foreign tourists to visit the province and witness the events during the festival and enjoy the beauties, wonders and local products and delicacies of the province.