MINDANAO PAGADIAN FRONTLINE: DOH Sec. Ona graces the 61st Founding Anniversary of Zamboanga del Sur today with tight security

Department of Health Secretary Enrique Ona at the

back stage of Dao Grand Stand before the program

started during the 61^st Founding Anniversary of

Zamboanga del Sur. (Photo by JONG CADION)

By JONG CADION

Gov. Tony Cerilles

PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR (September 18, 2013) – The Police and Military authorities tightened the security yesterday due to the ongoing atrocities in Zamboanga City following the celebration of 61^st Founding Anniversary of Zamboanga del Sur with Department of Health Secretary Enrique Ona as the guest of honor.

The 61^st Founding Anniversary Celebration activities were opened on Friday September 13, 2013 at the Provincial Government Center inside Dao Sports Complex with sportsfest competition from the different departments of the local government units (LGUs).

BERT Contingents from Dumingag town headed by

Mayor Nacianceno “Jun” Pacalioga Jr.

(Photo by Jong Cadion)

Participating BERT contingents coming from 27 LGUs

of Zamboanga del Sur during the the 61^st Founding

Anniversary parade along PL Urro Avenue, Pagadian

City (Photo by Jong Cadion)

Early morning today at about 8:00 o’clock a parade started from the City Plaza Luz going around the major city roads of Pagadian participated by the newly organized Barangay Emergency Response Team (BERT) coming from the 26 municipalities of Zamboanga del Sur headed by the Municipal Mayors as Chairman of the Municipal Peace and Order Council. The contingents proceeded to Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Government Center in Dao Sports Complex for program proper.

During the program proper, at the same time is the opening of BERT First Congress for this year 2013 being one of the highlights of the founding anniversary where DOH Secretary Ona distributed their PhilHealth Identification Card and Member Data Record.

1st District Congressman Victor Yu (Photo by Jong Cadion)

2nd District Congresswoman Aurora Enerio Cerilles (Photo by Jong Cadion)

With this year’s founding anniversary team “Bag-ong Pagsalig 2013: Padayon nga Kauswagan ug Panlantaw Alang sa Kalinaw ug Kalambuan sa Lalawigan,” (New Trust 2013: Continue Working and Looking Forward for Peace and Development of the Province) Zamboanga del Sur Governor Antonio Cerilles assured the people of the province of having a peaceful and in a simple way but meaningful celebration of the 61^st Founding Anniversary in spite of the crises faced by Zamboanga Peninsula Region because of the incident in Zamboanga City.“We are hoping that this problem will soon end,” Governor Cerilles said.

Governor Cerilles also gave importance to people’s united participation thru the creation of BERT especially in times of emergency whether natural or manmade calamities like what happen in Zamboanga City.

Strengthening of barangay information gathering network against all forms of criminalities within the barangay level is one of the basic roles of BERT in the maintenance of peace and order “because without peace and order we cannot attain progress in our province,” Cerilles said.