BAGUIO CITY- A variety of activities await Baguio’s elderly up to the end of October in celebration of Senior Citizen month with the theme “Pagmamahal at Respeto ng Nakakabata, Nakapagpapaligaya sa Nakatatanda.”
A week-long photo exhibit is slated for various elderly groups at City Hall on Oct. 10-15 by the Federation of Baguio Senior Citizens Association (FBASECA), Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP), Baguio Elderly Assembly (BEA), Blessed Association of Retired Persons (BARP), Philippine Government Retirees Association (PGRA) spearheaded by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA), and the office of Councilor Lilia Farinas, chair of the Council Committee on Urban Poor, Women and Social Services.
In the afternoon of October 12, a forum dubbed “Pagkakaisa sa Pagbabago,” will be conducted as to issues and concerns of the elderly, at the city multi-purpose hall.
A whole-day medical and dental mission with free medicines for distribution to senior citizens is scheduled on October 18 at the Baguio Convention Center.
In the afternoon of October 26, senior citizens will showcase their talents, as well as theatrics at the Baguio Convention Center. Senior Citizen Lakan and Lakambini will be crowned with singing, ballroom dancing, folkdance and ethnic presentations with colorful costumes. The Ilocano poetic presentation “Daniw” will serenade the royal couple and their court, CSWDO head Betty Fangasan said.
According to former Councilor SC Narciso Padilla, The Gintong Tala awards will cap the celebration on the last Saturday at the Blessed Association of Retirees (BARP) Foundation Auditorium along Buhagan Road. Awardees as to categories; government service, education, medical, military, business and trade, tourism, socio-civic, journalism and sports shall be honored. The awardees will be screened and selected by media groups and line agency heads.
October, elderly month, started with an early advocacy walk from Upper Session Road to PFVR gym where services for the elderly were conducted; the following Monday, senior citizens performed executive and legislative functions; SC Virgilio Bautista as Congressman, SC Margarita Marinas as Mayor, and Felix Bentayen as Vice-Mayor. Others served as councilors and department heads. Some national line agencies were also headed by senior citizens, for a day.
A program and parade was done October 4, with an ecumenical thanksgiving service the following morning. Fun-loving and physically active senior citizens participated in a palaro at the Melvin Jones, Burnham Park last Saturday morning. **juliegfianza
