NEWS
Balik Caramoan’ draws multisectoral support

CRANE president Alarkon and executive vice president Dr. Dolly Roa Perez thank Vice Mayor Cordis for the unprecedented and inspiring SB support. At left is Kgd. Enciso.

The entire populace of the municipality of Caramoan is giving unprecedented enthusiastic support to the Balik Caramona Project on May 1 to 8, 2007 when hundreds of Caramoanons in the United States, Canada and other parts of the globe are coming home after many decades that they have not seen their native town.

The Sangguniang Bayan of the town led by Vice Mayor Juan A. Cordis, Jr. set the tone of overwhelming public support for the rare undertaking of the Caramoan Residents Association in Naga City and its Environs (CRANE) when it allocated P300,000 as counterpart of the LGU for the week-long affair which will require a total funding of about P2 million.

The Sangguniang Bayan actually increased the requested assistance of P200,000 by P100,000 after key CRANE officers presented the Balik Caramoan Project proposal during a regular session of the body on Monday, January 22, after the plan was favorably endorsed by Mayor Francis R. Benemerito. CRANE officers present included Dominador C. Alarkon, Jr. and Dr. Dolly Roa-Perez, president and executive vice-president, respectively, who spoke before the body, Atty. Florencio Rosales, CRANE chairman of the Board of Directors; Directors Bonifacio Borebor, Jr. and Ricardo Culvera, and Mrs. Amelia Babilonia-Borebor who heads several crucial Balik Caramoan committees including the agricultural, culture and arts exhibits, cultural shows and musical competitions.

Aside from Vice Mayor Cordis SB members present who voted unanimously for the CRANE project were Municipal Kagawads Romeo Marto, Vicente Azana, William Breis, Raul Villarete, Celestino Enciso, Adelfa Purisima, Edgar Alvarez and Lydia Obias.

It was the first time in the history of the Caramoan municipal government that the SB voluntarily decided to increase a requested financial assistance from the LGU although the decision was made after the body thoroughly scrutinized the proposed activities and considered the huge budgetary requirement which CRANE will expectedly have difficulty to raise.

CRANE officers appeared to have adequately emphasized the historic and economic significance of the coming activity which would boost the tourism program of the town and pave the way for investments in tourism facilities.

In separate occasions in the town on the same day, the DepEd through OIC District Supervisor Romulo Naa also pledged to give all-out support to the Balik Caramoan Project by spearheading the cleanliness and beautification campaign in every barangay especially along the main tourist routes like Guijalo to Bikal, Bikal to Tabgon and Terogo to Ilawod and Gota Beach.

DepEd will also put up participants in entertainment shows and musical competitions. Naa assembled all school heads during the day for a dialogue with CRANE on the undertaking.

Dr. Dolly Roa Perez, chair of the Balik Caramoan Project explains to the Sangguniang Bayan details of the undertaking in middle photo. Listening on are Kagawads Vicente Azaña, Lydia Obias, Adolfo Purisima, Edgar Alvarez, and Celestino Enciso. In above photo are Vice Mayor Cordis, Kagawads William Breis, Raul Villarete and Romeo Marto. With back to camera is SB Secretary Danilo Belleza.

Dr. Miguel Borre, dean of the Caramoan Community College, on the same day assured CRANE president Alarkon both faculty and students of the school will help ensure the success of the Balik Caramoan Project through their direct involvement in every activity where their assistance may be needed.

Not to be outdone, the religious sector led by Rev. Fr. Rodolfo Sales, parish priest of St. Michael Archangel Parish of the town proper also committed to give total support to the Balik Caramoan Project. The occasion will jibe with the town fiesta for his parish on May 7 and 8 although varied Balik Caramoan activities will start on May 1 with the Caravan to Caramoan.

Fr. Sales said he would sit down with other priests in three other parishes in the town including Rev. Fr. Joaquin Camano in barangay Guijalo, Rev. Fr. Gilbert Briguera in Bikal and Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Alforte in Tabgon to thresh out possible areas of cooperation and support from religious organizations.

CRANE is also scheduling meetings with barangay officials and youth leaders, both in-school and out-of-school, to harness their participation in the undertaking. CRANE officers actually first held a dialogue with Caramoan barangay captains and municipal officials as early as August, 2006 while still preparing the groundwork for the project.