WITH Iloilo City recently winning an “Asean Clean Tourist City” award together with San Carlos City in Negros Occ., we believe our congresswoman Julienne Baronda will now be fully convinced not to go on with the move for a congressional investigation of Iloilo City’s alleged pole fires.
As we have said in last week’s column, she can just invite her colleagues in Congress for a city tour, including an early morning walk or jog at the Iloilo Esplanade which is along the Iloilo River. It will convince them how healthful and clean not only our city streets are but also the Iloilo Esplanade and our Iloilo River. Afterwards she can invite them to a bowl of La Paz batchoy or pancit molo at SM City or at Megaworld.
Our Iloilo River clinched the Gold Award in the 2010 International Awards for Livable Communities (LiveCom) held in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is good that we have maintained its cleanliness up to the present. You cannot find any other clean river in the country like ours. It helps that it is actually part of the sea with the high tide coming into the river in some way cleaning the water body when the river course changes towards the sea at low tide because it brings the old water supply out to the sea. It reminds us of our visit to New York City which sits at the mouth of a navigable river similar to ours.
There used to be a ferry boat service at the Pasig River of Metro Manila which lands at the foot of Jones Bridge near Escolta in downtown Manila. We have taken it at one time and our ferry boat stopped three times because the crew had to remove the river plants and trash that got clogged its propeller, including one stop we had just behind Malacañang.
Aside from Christmas when Ilonggos usually have reunions with family members who work or reside in Metro Manila or other places, we have Ilonggo festivals coming up starting January of the year. Dinagyang is the most famous among them in the latter part of January followed by the Jaro Fiesta on the first week of February. The latter is famous as a religious pilgrimage destination and for its international cockfight sports. The Paraw Regatta follows in March which has now become also well-known nationwide.
With another feather on its cap for Iloilo as an “Asean Clean Tourist City”, we believe that all Ilonggos should be proud of our beloved Iloilo City. You can do your share by inviting relatives living or working outside Iloilo to make it a practice to invite friends and relatives to Iloilo City especially with the incoming holidays and festivals to experience home and Ilonggo hospitality for those that are visitors or guests.
GEM OF THOUGHT
“We must begin thinking like a river if we are to leave a legacy of beauty and life for future generations.” – David Brown
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