Palayan turns 48, Malacañang declares Dec. 5 special non-working day in NE capital

PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija–All roads lead to this provincial capital today as local officials, led by neophyte lady Mayor Adrianne Mae J. Cuevas observe this city’s austere 48^th anniversary celebrations amid the devastation wrought by typhoon “Santi.”

          Third district Rep. Czarina Umali, wife of Gov. Aurelio Umali will be the guest of honor and speaker in this year’s anniversary rites, which carry the theme: “”Kaunlaran at Kasaganaan Tungo sa Bagong Palayan Now Na! (Progress and Bounty towards a New Palayan Right Now!).

          President Aquino, through Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., issued last November 20 Presidential Proclamation 687 declaring December 5, 2013 a special non-working day throughout the city to enable the people to celebrate and participate in the event.

        

       The executive committee for this year’s anniversary rites, led by overall chairman, Kapisanan ng mga Magsisibuyas sa Nueva Ecija (Kasamne) general manager Rolando Manangan, launched the kick-off ceremony yesterday with an ecumenical service at the Palayan City Conference Center (PCCC) followed by the launch of a service caravan involving medical and dental mission, birth registration and other social services, the coronation of the Mr. and Ms. Day Care 2013 and the barangay and awards night at the Nueva Ecija Convention Center.

       

      Today, a get-together for the city’s elderly will be held at the PCCC followed by parade of the Mr. and Ms. Day Care 2013 in the afternoon. 

       

           Cuevas said the city was one of those hardest hit by “Santi” in October and there had been calls to exercise austerity after some P300 million worth of crops was damaged in the city.

 “In the aftermath of Santi, it was demanded that there should be austerity but since this is just a once-a-year activity, we decided to celebrate it. And we did pursue austerity by not inviting showbiz celebrities,” she told a media briefing.   

This year’s anniversary rites come on the heels of a major facelift undertaken by the fledgling Cuevas administration which implemented drastic political and administrative reforms, starting with the renovation of the city hall.

      

      Cuevas said the city, apart from being the seat of the provincial government, also would like to claim for it a rightful place as an agro-industrial center in the province.

   

       Presently, Cuevas has been inviting a number of investors to set up businesses in the city in line with her administration’s vision to turn it into an investors’ haven.

          This city was created as the new capital of Nueva Ecija on June 19,1965 by virtue of Republic Act 4475 signed by then-President Diosdado Macapagal. It first rose to prominence when it hosted the National Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines in 1969 at its campsite, attended by thousands of scouts from Asia-Pacific countries. 

          The campsite is considered the BSP’s largest regional campsite where the Josefa Llanes Escoda national training center is also housed.

          The city also hosts the headquarters of the Army’s 7^th Infantry Division at the Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation, considered one of the largest military training camps not only in the country but also in southeast Asia. (Manny Galvez)