November is deemed a month of Special Events in Dapitan City

DAPITAN CITY (Nov.5, 20`15) -- November is deemed a month of Special Events in Dapitan City which is not only popular for being the Shrine City of the Philippines, a Heritage City and City of Stars, City Tourism Officialo said.

City tourism Officer Apple Marie Agolong said Dapitan City is not only known as a Heritage City and City of Stars but also a city of festivals with 6 festivals being celebrated yearly in order to push its bid to maintain its stature as one of the vibrant tourist destinations in the Philippines.

The first to take center stage is the “ULANG FESTIVAL” in Barangay Opao every November 6 and 7 which is to be participated in by the Barangays along the riverbanks. It is the 5th Festival of the city.

Agolong said services and entertainment will be brought there by the Local Government Unit (LGU) as well as various contest and competitions with the main purpose of showcasing the abundance of our river and that there is a need to protect those species found therein.

The second big event Aolong said is the Search for Ginoong Dapitan 2015, now in its 3rd Year with the main purpose of showcasing the sculpted bodies of men achieved through exercise, body building and a lot of discipline which is believed to be Datu Pagbuaya's physique as well as that of his men.

Agolong added that this event will also inspire young men and women to go to the gym or just do their exercise and do away with booze and vices.

Most importantly, the winner of our Ginoong Dapitan will have a chance to compete in the National Level giving us a chance to showcase our talents and pride. Among the judges is a Dapitanon who is successful in his chosen field, the President of RDH Entertainment, Mr. Richard Hinola and Actor/Model Mr. Johan Moriele Santos, she said.

To give us entertainment she added that during the intermission numbers is Actress/Model Ms. Christine Almaden together with other FHM Models.

Ladies and gentlemen, catch them live and be awed by both physical attributes and entertainment on November 25, 2015 at the Dapitan City Cultural and Sports Center! Agolong invited. (By JDC)

The Tausug, as a historic people should have representation in Congress: Shernee A. Tan

 

MS. SHERNEE A. TAN President, KUSUG TAUSUG,

daugther of Sulu VIce Governor ABDUSAKUR TAN,

calls for unity, peace, solidarity and strength for

the Tausugs through congressional representation.

(Photo by Bernie Concepcion)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Nov. 2, 2015,MPF News) - The first Tausug Summit held in Zamboanga City from 31 October – 01 November 2015 and attended by 300 delegates from all sectors of the Tausug society from Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and the Zamboanga Peninsula touched on wide-ranging issues as introspection of the Tausug as a historic people vis-à-vis the current situation.

The discussions and deliberations were more on the passionate rhetoric on the glorious past of the Tausug bringing into fore the call for the restoration of the Sultanate.

As the Keynote Speaker for the Summit, Ms.Shernee A. Tan, the President of the KusugTausug movement offered the most practical alternative and legally feasible option while awaiting resolution to issue (sultanate) raised at the summit.

Ms Tan, youngest daughter of Vice Governor Abdusakur M. Tan, in her speech said “We are setting our eyes on a larger picture; that of our people who are scattered all over the Philippines, or toiling in foreign lands. They are inclusive to the humble efforts we are pursuing”.

Ms Tan expounded further and cited old protocols and agreements documenting the territory of the Sulu Archipelago, in particular the Madrid Protocol of 1885 which sets territorial domain of sovereign Sulu.“The Archipelago of Sulu (Jolo), conformably to the definition contained in Article I of the treaty signed September 23rd, 1846, between the Spanish Government and the Sultan of Sulu, comprises all the islands which are found between the western extremity of the island of Mindanao on the one, and the continent of Borneo and the Island of Paragua on the other side, with the exception of those which are indicated in Article III. It is understood that the Islands of Balabac and of Cagayan-Jolo form part of the archipelago.” Paragua is the old name of Palawan.

“We are not out to reclaim the old territory and we recognize the present political and geographical delineation”, Ms Tan further said.

She said that the KusugTausug, while recognizing any legal rights of any quarters, is more concern on the state and condition of the Tausug who are residing in many parts of the Philippines and toiling in foreign lands.

She said that while the Tausugis represented through the congressional districts of the component provinces of the ARMM or through their respective LGUs, they will have no half-way institutions to make representations for them when they are outside of particularized areas.

“Hindi po naming sinasabi na ang mga local na pamahalaan na kanilang kinaroroonan ay hindi kayang ipagtanggol o ipaglabanan ang kanilang mga karapatan, subali’t higit pong mapagtuunan sila ng pansin if they have a representative of their own aside from the ones we mentioned, which are limited in scope”, she said.

In reply to questions in an open forum Ms Tan said that during the so-called Zamboanga Siege majority who were in the evacuation centers were Tausug and those who were in the local government, civic organizations and ordinary citizens in Sulu did their very best to send immediate assistance in any form and way possible to their brethren.

“Such a situation adds credence to the clamor that the Tausug should be represented and attended to wherever fortune may take them”, she said.

(By Bernie Concepcion and Jong Cadion)