• CHERYL G. CRUZ
A total of 1,166 Victorias City scholars received their educational assistance of P5,000 each from the Office of Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez at the City Coliseum recently.
The payout covered the first and second semesters of academic year 2023-2024.
Benitez’s office regularly distributes cash assistance to deserving Victoriahanon students from public and private schools each school year, or P2,500 each scholar per semester, the city said in a press release March 19.
The distribution of educational assistance March 16 was in coordination with the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation of Victorias City, and attended by the mayor, Vice Mayor Abelardo Bantug III, and city councilors.
Benitez, in his midterm report March 18, emphasized one big-ticket project of his administration – the Sidlak Learning Technologies – worth P114.56 million.
The project includes the distribution of 924 laptops, 713 Smart TVs, 3,555 tablets, 589 teacher’s tables and chairs, and 4,230 monobloc chairs, among others.
“Ang makita naton tanan nga mga kaayuhan sa aton ciudad bunga lang sang aton nga pag-ugyon, pagbuligay, kag padayon nga pagtuman sang aton nga mga handum nga magsanyog,” the mayor stressed.
He added that there are more big projects and events coming to Victorias in the second half of his term.
The city is currently celebrating its 26th Charter Anniversary and Kadalag-an Festival, with highlight events starting on March 21.
These include the Charter Day thanksgiving mass at 6 a.m. on Thursday at the Our Lady of Victory Parish, to be followed by the civic military parade/opening ceremony with the presentation of Kadalag-an Queen (KQ) candidates, DepEd Day, mass wedding, GMA Regional Kapuso Fiesta, ArenaPlus Show, and KQ preliminaries, with the concert of Parokya ni Edgar and a fireworks display capping the day’s events.
On March 22, activities include the Sidlak Pride Victorias, free legal consultation, dancing traffic enforcer contest, a quiz bee sponsored by the Sangguniang Panlungsod, a women’s cheerdance and sectoral events, mayor’s night, and the KQ grand coronation.
The spread of events on March 23 includes a duathlon from the Victorias City Coliseum to the E.B. Magalona boundary, palarong Pinoy, a music festival featuring local and regional performers, the Splash! Kadalag-an runway and pool party, Tingog sang Kadalag-an contest, and a concert by Ben & Ben.
A health outreach, music festival, and Sidlak Awards Night will be held on March 24. The Kadalag-an Festival food park is also set from March 21-24.
“The City of Victorias is celebrating its 26th Kadalag-an Festival this coming March 21 to 24, and will be held for the first time at the Sidlak Victorias Global City, our new government site. We are extending our invitation to come and witness the festivities we prepared for all merrymakers from neighboring towns and cities. Spend your weekend with us and experience a new level of the Kadalag-an Festival celebration,” Benitez said. | CGC
