“Manggad It Kalibo” Festival Highlights St. John Celebration

By Ernesto T. Solidum

Mayor Raymar A. Rebaldo of Kalibo led the opening of “Manggad it Kalibo” Agro – Industrial Fair, Kalibo Food Festival and Skills Competition 2005 at the Pastrana Park. The event was held in honor of St. John the Baptist. Some 200 students, instructors and school heads from participating vocational and technical schools came to witness and participate in different skills competition. Congressman Florencio T. Miraflores witnessed the memorable event with other guests.
Cong. Miraflores in his speech credited organizers for the special focus on hotel and restaurant management. Vocational skills like table skirting and table setting are the critical skills urgently needed to support upscale tourism industry not only in Boracay but in other potential tourist destinations like Kalibo and Tangalan.
Atty. Allen S. Quimpo, Chair of the Provincial Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Committee and concurrently consultant of TESDA viewed the events very meaningful. “Our manpower resource must be globally competitive in order to be at par with other Asian countries like Malaysia and Singapore, “Quimpo admonished Gov. Carlito S. Marquez was ably represented by ex- Mayor Diego Luces. He spoke on the skills training as indispensable part of the livelihood of the people. He commended the organizers for their zeal and creativity to bring to the public’s attention the unique cultural heritage of Aklanons.
Prov’l Director of TESDA Aklan, Ms. Lorena T. Yunque formally opened the skills competition among participating schools with a champagne toast. She said that her agency “shall continue to provide technical skills and proficiency to youth since they are indispensable to a vibrant and progressive economy of Aklan. Daily events held at 1 – 5 PM are:
June 21 – Table Skirting, Table Setting and Bartending
June 22 – Flower Arrangement, Napkin Folding, Fruit and Vegetable Carving
June 23 – Bed Making, Waiters’ Relay, Cookery, (Ice Carving exhibition shall be presented by Verde Grande Culinary School.)
Winners in the above contests will receive valuable prizes from the Kalibo Ati – Atihan Tourism Council in the afternoon of June 23.
One of the program highlights was the formal opening of Agro Industrial exhibits on June 21, 2003. Inside individual booths are selected agricultural/fishery products, processed food, handicraft items and ornamental plants commonly produced in 16 barangays of Kalibo.
According to Mayor Rebaldo, festivals are held every year but nothing significant happened in terms of socio – economic upliftment. His novel idea: Diversify present food festival into one that would aggressively promote Kalibo as one of tourists’ destinations of Aklan. Presently “Uswag” Foundation sponsors guided tours to its 80 Ha. Bakhawan Eco Tourism Park, Piña and Ati – Atihan Village.
This years’ organizers are Association of TVET schools in Aklan (ATSA), TESDA, Kalibo Ati-Atihan Tourism Council (KATC), Liga ng mga Barangay of Kalibo and LGU Kalibo.
Schools affiliated with ATSA are AMA – CLC, Aklan Polytechnic Institute, Aklan State University (New Washington), Lifeline International, Montfort Technical Institute, NVC, San Lorenzo College, STI, Panay Technological College, Verde Grande Culinary School, Joselito Alba Vocational and Technical School and Provincial Training Center, TESDA. /MP