Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is back in Cebu City from a weeklong visit to Canada. | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is now back in the City after his week-long official engagement in the cities of Agassiz and Vancouver in Canada from August 19 to August 26, 2022.
Rama attended the blessing of the shrine and the enthronement of the image of Sto. Niño de Cebu at the St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Agassiz, British Colombia, Canada. This is the first ever shrine of the Sto. Niño de Cebu that was built in North America.
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In a press conference on Saturday, August 27, Lawyer Collin Rosell, Secretary to the Mayor, highlighted the importance of the mayor’s presence to the event and clarified that the mayor’s visit to Canada was initiated through an invitation.
“Gi-invite ta ini kay tungod dili lang si Señor Sto. Niño, it’s because it is the Señor Santo Niño de Cebu, dili siya somewhere. That’s why, they really wanted people from Cebu City, in particular, officials from Cebu City government nga maka-represent. Because as explained, this is the first, ngadto siya sa North America,” he said.
(We were invited because it is not just Señor Sto. Niño, it’s because it is Señor Sto. Niño de Cebu, it is not just somewhere. That’s why, they really wanted people from Cebu City, in particular, officials from Cebu City government to represent. Because as explained, this is the first, there in North America.)
“The Filipino community who initiated it were very happy,” he added noting that the trip of the city officials also served as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship of Cebu City and the Cebuano and Filipino communities there.
Cebu City Councilor James Cuenco, who also went with the mayor in Canada, said the enthronement was attended by more than 2,000 Filipinos in Canada.
Cuenco said Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma was also supposed to attend the event as he had been invited, but the prelate had a prior commitment at the episcopal ordination of Cebu’s second auxiliary bishop, Fr. Ruben Labajo, here in Cebu City.
Cuenco said that during the visit, the Cebu City government was able to lay its programs and plans to achieve a Singapore-like Cebu City to the Cebuanos in Vancouver and Agassiz, Canada.
Rosell said the Filipino communities in Canada also expressed willingness to support the projects of the city government, particularly the completion of the Cebu City Medical Center.
“Nagpadayag sad ang community didto na they will help unya mag-assign sila og usa lang ka floor. But they will exert everything,” he said.
(The community there shared that they will help and they will assign just one floor. But they will exert everything.)
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