Cayabas bats for city’s pastoral appreciation day

February 5, 2022 Metro BLISTT

Councilor Vladimir Cayabas has filed an ordinance seeking to institutionalize every second Sunday of October of every year as Pastoral Appreciation Day in the city.
The institutionalization of the Pastoral Appreciation Day shall prompt the city government to spearhead programs and activities purposely to express profound gratitude and appreciation to the commendable contributions and good services of pastors, priests, reverends, ministers, clergymen, and other religious leaders in the city.
Under the proposed ordinance, a committee shall be created to spearhead the programs and activities during the appreciation day.
The committee shall consist of the city administrator as the chairperson; the chairperson of the Sanggunian’s Committee on Tourism Special events, Parks, and Playgrounds as the vice chairperson; and the city tourism officer, representatives of religious sectors in the city, and a representative from the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcaster’s Club as members.
The proposed activities shall be thanksgiving program, health fairs, free legal assistance, presentations on effective church management and people leadership, and other activities as may be determined by the committee.
An amount of P100,000.00 shall be appropriated for the purpose and shall be included in the annual budget of the City Administrator’s Office subject to the regular accounting rules and auditing system.
In 2003, the City of Baguio was designated as a character city by virtue of Resolution 107-2003 passed by the city council in 2003. This paved the way for the launching of city-wide programs enriching the character of residents and officials in the city.
Cayabas said that local churches have greatly contributed to this endeavor, thus, the efforts of local religious leaders need to be recognized and appreciated.
The proposed institutionalization of the Pastor’s Appreciation Day in the city shall be in consonance with the National Pastor Appreciation Day and National Pastor Appreciation Month held on October 9 and in the whole month of October of every year.
The councilor said, while various church-based groups promote and celebrate the National Pastoral Appreciation day on their own, it’s about time that the city government spearhead a harmonized program purposely for the same objective of gracefully thanking and appreciating the commendable contributions and services of religious leaders in the city.
Doing so is a good expression of sincere gratitude to those dependable partners who have modestly helped the City of Baguio transform into the character city that it is now, Cayabas stated.
The proposed ordinance has been approved on first reading and referred to the Sanggunian’s Committee on Tourism, Special Events, and Playgrounds for review.
Jordan G. Habbiling