Cotabato City turns 59

FEAST --- Cotabato City Mayor Atty. Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi leads the June 12 Independence Day observance, ribbon cutting of formal opening of the newly rehabilitated city plaza, and at the same time the kick-off of the 59th "Araw ng Cotabato" celebration. (Junamin Sanday Dimacisil)

COTABATO CITY - celebrates its 59th Araw ng Kutabato or charterhood on June 20, 2018   amid the week-long festivities prepared by the local government unit and its development partners since June 12 on occasion of the 120th Independence Day of the Republic of the Philippines.

Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi formally opened the city’s founding day anniversary after a floral offering at the foot of the monument of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal at the City Plaza on Independence Day..

Mayor Guiani-Sayadi also officially opened to the public the newly rehabilitated Cotabato City Plaza.

"We also presented the eight candidates for this year's Search for Mutya ng Cotabato," Mayor Guiani-Sayadi said.

Offerings to the public from June 12 to June 20 are song and dance competitions, artist workshop showcasing local talents, sports events, boat race, duathlon, socio-cultural presentations, and cooking showdown, among others.

Aside from the annual search for "Mutya ng Cotabato 2018,” other activities include the DepEd Cultural Show at the City Plaza, Dog and Cat Wellness Day at the People's Palace grounds, Livelihood Training on Household Cleaning Products, 3^rd Cotabato Toy Fair 2018 at the City Mall, Youth Spoken Poetry and Rap Battle competition at the City Mall, Mayor Cynthia Culinary Arts Competition at the People's Palace, Cosplay Competition at the CityMall, Sayaw Cotabato Dance Workshop and Open Invitation Dance Competition at the Cotabato City State Polytechnic College  gym, 3rd Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi Invitational Taekwondo Festival, Cotabato Ultimate Frisbee Tournament 2018 at the People's Palace grounds, 2nd Mayor's Cup Open Invitational Table Tennis competition, 2^nd Jiujitsu Nogi Tournament and Submission Super Fights at the Mall of Al Nor Convention Center;

Lawn Tennis Tournament in PC Hill, Padyak Takbo para sa Turismo, A Duathlon at the People's Palace, 2nd Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi Boxing Tournament at City Mall, Pakuya sa Awang, Boat Race Year 4 in Tamontaka

River, Clash of Kings 2, Flowerhorn Competition at the City Mall, Halal Industry Development Forum, and the Socio-Civic Military Parade together with the launching of Sayaw, Cotabato Zumba on the 20^th.

In spite of the fun and excitement brought about by the festivities, the city government still observes the nightly curfew and respect for the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Mayor Guiani-Sayadi appealed to the people of Cotabato City to remain united in combatting terrorism and all other forms of crimes as these undermine the maintenance of peace and security and endanger the efforts of the city government in strengthening the city's economy.

The law and order efforts of the city government paid off when no less than the Philippine National Police (PNP) declared recently Cotabato as the second safest city in the country and the first in Mindanao.

The national PNP released the report with the help of records by local police in the entire country on the crime incidences in their respective areas of responsibility during the first quarter of 2018.

Cotabato City came in second to Ormoc City, which has recorded a total of 134 crimes. Coming in third is Puerto Princesa with 227 crimes during the first three months of 2018.

Accordingly, Cotabato City recorded only a total of 220 crimes in the months of January - March of this year.

"Our local authorities remain on full alert and ready to protect the city's residents and tourists from any forms of violence," the lady mayor stressed.

Last June 4, the city government in coordination with the Local Arts Council (LAC) also opened to the public the "Inaul Fabric Exhibit" by Datu Omar B. Patadon and Gilmhar A. Lao. The exhibit at the old city hall runs from June 4 to 30. (GILMHAR A. LAO/MINDANAO EXPOSE’)