Still savoring its success for being
one of the top municipalities in the
country for several years, San Juan
has continuously geared up towards
becoming a top city as it celebrated
its 1st cityhood anniversary on June
17 and the feast of its patron
saint, St. John the Baptist on June
24.
Following its unprecedented
achievements during its initial year
as a full-fledged city, the
Committee on Cityhood Anniversary
and Fiesta Celebration lined up, not
just two-days special affairs but
rather a grand two weeks-long
activity, which kicked off on June
17.
A
“Tree Planting Activity” led by San
Juan’s First Mother and a known
environmentalist, Ms. Guia Gomez was
held in the morning of June 17 at
the mini garden at the historic
Pinaglabanan Shrine. This was
followed by a motorcade participated
by the city officials and employees,
barangay officials, representatives
from non-government and civic
organizations, business
establishments and San Juan
constituents passed through major
thoroughfares of San Juan which
served as “shout out” for its proud
celebration of its 1st cityhood
anniversary.
A
Mass Dog Vaccination in San Juan
Plaza, a Super Pig Palengke Tour in
cooperation with the Kiwanis Club of
St. John and the Galing Pinoy
Acrobatics Show in Pinaglabanan
Elementary School were consecutively
held on the second day of the
affair.
A
“Wreath-laying” activity was held at
the Jose Rizal Monument situated in
San Juan Plaza, to commemorate the
birth anniversary of our national
hero last June 19.
The 20th of June was declared as San
Juan’s “Women’s Day” to give a
special tribute to the significant
role of women in San Juan’s
progress. Dubbed as “Programang
Handog Para sa Mga Masisipag na
Kababaihan ng Lungsod ng San Juan”,
the affair provided free beauty and
medical services such as
manicure/pedicure, check up, free
feminine products and samplings and
free consultation with the
Philippine National Police Women’s
Desk. The activity was held at the
San Juan Elementary School
Gymnasium.
Likewise, the singing voices of the
priests of St. John The Baptist
Church serenaded the San Juaneños in
an enchanted evening of June 20, for
the 2nd “Si Kura, si Kuya at Si
Bunso (KKB2) Concert, which also
aimed to augment the expenses for
the completion the construction of
St. John The Baptist Catholic
School.
A
San Juan Fun Run was held at the
Pinaglabanan Shrine at 6:00 in the
morning on June 21, followed by the
Mega Job Fair under the city’s
Public Employment and Service Office
(PESO), which was held at SM City,
Sta. Mesa at 8:00 in the morning.
The 2008 Mayor’s Cup Finals, an
annual sportsfest of the local
government was also held at 3:00 in
the afternoon at The Arena. The
youth enjoyed the night, as San Juan
provided a “Libreng Konsyerto sa
Plaza that featured Rockstedy and
Alamat Bands at the San Juan Plaza
at 7:00 in the evening.
Even natural phenomenon would not
want to miss the grand celebration,
as the typhoon Frank, had the taste
of the of San Juan’s festivity when
it hit the country on June 23. The
boxing aficionados missed their
treat after the “Bakbakan sa San
Juan” Part 3, the PBF Title Match
and the Inter-Barangay Boxing
Competition was postponed due to
Frank’s Storm Signal No. 3 in Metro
Manila.
The “Prusisyong Alay Kay San Juan
Bautista”, a special reverence to
our patron saint, St. John the
Baptist was held on June 23 at St.
John the Baptist parish as the
procession’s converging and starting
point. Another concert for the
youth and rock music enthusiasts,
“Rock-rakan sa Kapistahan” which
featured Bamboo, Mocca as main
performers was held on the eve of
the San Juan Fiesta at the San Juan
Plaza.
The 24th of June has always been
known not just as a pouring and
water-logged day in San Juan for its
“Basaan” tradition. Dubbed as
Basaan, San Juan Fiesta 2008, this
year’s affair also served as a day
to celebrate the “pouring” day of
San Juan’s continuous success and
abundance perked up with the
colorful and lively Santong Tao
Parade and Street Dancing
Competition participated in by
public school teachers and barangay
representatives.
The leading TV networks in the
country provided the media coverage
of the event. The affair was also
used as a special feature of the No.
1 morning show, Unang Hirit through
its exclusive TV coverage.
It
was perhaps the longest parade held
in San Juan, as San Juan City
officials aboard the San Juan fire
trucks led the long motorcade along
with the different civic and non
government organizations, schools,
major business establishments and
sponsors passed through the main
streets in San Juan while cheerfully
squirted and splashed water that
literally drenched the whole
community.
This year’s Fiesta celebration is
considered as the grandest
celebration in the history of San
Juan as thousands of spectators
including the guests from other
cities and municipalities joined the
traditional basaan and watched the
succeeding street dancing and
Santong Tao Float Competition.
Emerging as winners in the Santong
Tao Competition are: Barangays Sta.
Lucia and Maytunas, tying for the
first place followed by the Barangay
Onse as second place winner.
The delegates of San Juan Elementary
School got the nod of the judges
when it won the first prize and the
two special prizes of the
Streetdancing Competition-School
Division: the Most Festive and the
Biggest Delegation. San Juan
National High School took the second
prize while the Kabayanan Elementary
School was the Third Place Winner.
Winners in the Streetdancing
Competition-Barangay Division were
Barangay San Perfecto, 1st Place;
Barangay Pasadena, 2nd Place and the
Biggest Delegation; Barangay
Balong-Bato, 3rd Place; Barangay
Rivera, Most Colorful.
The Thanksgiving Mass for the Fiesta
Celebration was held at 6:00 in the
evening at the St. John The Baptist
Parish.
The euphoric affair just confirmed
that San Juan City has indeed
evolved from its previous state as
progressive municipality to an ever
flourishing top city in Metro
Manila.
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