Ilonggos in Canada going home for Dinagyang 2006

A number of Ilonggos residing in Canada will be taking time off from their labors to come home to Iloilo and watch the Dinagyang Festival this coming January.

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, fresh from an official trip to Canada, said most of the Ilonggos he conversed with in Vancouver had expressed their intentions of coming back to Iloilo to see how the city has developed and to take part in the Dinagyang festival merriment.
“Ilonggos in Vancouver are very happy to hear about many developments in Iloilo City, and would want to experience first hand what it's like to be back in their native land after a long absence,” Treñas said. The mayor likewise disclosed that the city government, through the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, is seriously contemplating inviting Miss Vancouver Philippines to grace next year's festival.

Treñas farther revealed that Vancouver Ilonggos are interested to help uplift the state of education in the city.

“They displayed an enthusiasm to support our plan to computerize all public high schools here, and so I asked them to forward their donations to the Ayala Foundation,” he said. The city government, in collaboration with Ayala Foundation, will be sponsoring a cocktail party besides the Ayala museum on October 18th to raise funds for the public high school computerization project.

Treñas, concurrent president of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities while in Vancouver.

Along with the MOU was a Cities Alliance Grant by the Federation to the LCP amounting to $540,000. (Adora B. Bandorio/PIO)