NEWSFLASH

VALENZUELA SAN ROQUE FESTIVAL STARTS TOMORROW

Valenzuela City, May 2, 2000 - Set to start tommorow, May 3 is the traditional “Mano Po San Roque Festival” held annually in Barangay Mabolo in Valenzuela City. The festivities reels off with a Banca Racing Event at 6 a.m. and at 3 p.m. the "Ilog Polo, Balik Anyo" activity will have Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as special guest.

Mrs. Margarita C. Carlos and Valenzuela Mayor Bobbit Carlos will be the hermana/hermano mayor for “Mano Po San Roque Festival 2000.”

The Festival in honor of San Roque, the patron saint of the city (formerly called Polo when it was still part of Bulacan), is just as popular as the dancing festival in Ubando where childless couples go to ask for a child. At the San Roque festival, they could ask the same favor, but it is for the quest for a mate that it has become more popular not only among Bulacan folks but also from other places.

The "Mano Po San Roque Festival 2000" will culminate on May 12 with the “Sayaw Pasasalamat (street dancing)” in honor of the patron saint. The other activities on the final day of the novena include Palarong Pambata, a procession and a Super Variety Show and Fireworks display.

There will also be amateur singing contests, a dog parade called “Ilabas Mo, Pet Mo!” a Medical Mission, Ballroom Dancing Competition and band competition dubbed "Serenata." Pitted against each other are the Banda 4 of Malabon and Del Mundo Banda 84 of Valenzuela.

The San Roque Festival Committee is composed of Margarita C. Carlos, president; Kapitan Peping Deato, vice president; Uly Aguilar, secretary; Marissa Hernandez, treasurer; Resty Bautista, PRO; Councilor Rey Cuadra, auditor; and Atty. Nestor Nicolas, legal counsel.