For a little over a decade until the COVID-19 days, the Lights of Bago was the curtain raiser of the year for tourism activities in Negros Occidental.
Usually held on the evening of Jan. 1 since it was started in 2009, it attracted thousands of Negrenses who flocked to the city to witness spectacular fireworks dancing to the rhythm of a selection of well-loved high quality music based on the chosen theme for the year. The annual repertoire was a blend of nostalgic music and contemporary hits.
The fireworks and musical extravaganza, which usually lasted for about 25 minutes, capped the day-long activities that included performances by local personalities and friendly visits.
Also held was a photography contest which drew wide participation among its various categories.
The tourism activity, likewise, generated micro-economic activities usually attributed to heavy human traffic. Vendors of various items and goods made some killing during the event.
Eventually, the LOB theme, originally focused on the orientation of selected music, became socially-focused. The last staging, in 2020, had the theme, anchored on HIV/AIDS awareness as the city then ranked second in incidence in the province.
That year, the musical selection featured the top hits of the British rock band, Queen, whose vocalist, songwriter and record producer Freddie Mercury who died of complications due to HIV/AIDS.
City officials had earlier underscored that beyond the impact of the New Year activity to domestic tourism was its symbolism of hope for a bright year ahead for the city and its people.
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I had my own personal connection to the origins of the lights festival. Its initiator, then Bago resident Raymond Stoffel, a Luxembourg national married to a city native, invited me – representing the media – to join his organizing group in 2009.
Raymond invited us to his well-appointed home in Bago City, where we viewed on wide screen films of big-time fireworks displays in Europe and listen high-fidelity musical sound tracks.
The team included, among others, then tourism officer Rossini Mina and tech expert and businessman Dave Villanueva, who packaged the sight-and sound extravaganza since 2009 until 2020.
Raymond became a personal friend until he returned to his home country some years later and has remained in contact until today.
Seeing the tourism impact of Raymond’s personal initiative, the city government eventually adopted LOB as part of its annual tourism program. The early January activity has also become a showcase of the city’s vibrant community spirit and, as they said before, a “symbol of hope and renewal”.
I learned there was a plan to revive it last year but the series of Mt. Kanlaon eruptions, which affected various parts of the city, stalled it.
I have been hoping that the light will spark again this year but apparently the city will remain not as bright as it used to be at the start of the new year.
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Writing of pandemic-affected events, I am reminded that Dec. 27 is being observed as International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, a day that “encourages governments to respond to then urgent need to have resilient and robust health systems, reaching those who are vulnerable or in vulnerable situations.”
The United Nations has reiterated that major pandemic infectious diseases and epidemics, like COVID-19, have brought devastating impacts on human lives, wreaking havoc on long-term social and economic development.
“Global health crises threaten to overwhelm already overstretched health systems, disrupt global supply chains and cause disproportionate devastation of the livelihoods of people,” UN further said.
It pointed out that the observance can contribute to “raising awareness, the exchange of information, scientific knowledge and best practices, quality education, and advocacy programs on epidemics,” among others.
Thus, UN said, we realize the importance of strengthening epidemic prevention by applying lessons learned on epidemic management.
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Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) | NWI
