Albay begins ‘Karangahan’ Green Xmas Festival

Legazpi City, Albay – Despite the calamities that ravaged the province early this year and the recent transfer of an important international conference to Manila because of Typhoon “Rubi,” Albay has shown that it has moved on with the start of the “Karangahan Green Christmas” Festival yesterday.

Gov. Joey Salceda said this year’s celebration of “Karangahan Festival” was a way of showing Albayano’s unflinching hope.

Early this year, Albay was threatened by a major threat of an eruption by Mayon Volcano and other typhoons that crossed the province.

“Rubi” even caused the cancellation of the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference-Informal Senior Officers Meeting (APEC-ISOM), a major event leading to the country’s hosting of the APEC Leaders’ Meeting next year. The APEC National Organizing Committee had to transfer the event from Legazpi City to Metro Manila.

The Karangahan Festival, itself, was moved from its original opening on Dec. 5 to Dec. 10 due to threats of the typhoon.

“During the past two years we did our best to win the hosting of the first conference of the APEC ISOM. It was a world event that could have placed our humble province in the consciousness of more than half of the people of the world. We prepared and offered all our resources in order to be worthy of the event. Alas, it was not to be. Fortuitous events intervened, and we lost it. Para po tayong pinaglaruan ng tadhana,” Salceda narrated.

This year’s Karangahan celebration, Albay will once again celebrate Green Christmas.