By Chito Chavez
In celebration of its 80th founding anniversary, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has lined up a series of activities this month to mark its commemoration.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte
(FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
Belmonte said last Thursday various activities were held to honor its citizens especially individuals and groups that made significant contributions to the city through the years.
“We wanted to bring our various programs closer to our citizens so we made the whole October loaded with exciting activities dedicated to them,” said Belmonte, noting that this year’s month-long celebration is different from the past years.
“Being the home of the country’s television networks and entertainment studios, Quezon City is aptly called as the city of stars. But in this year’s celebration, our star and our focus is our people—from those at the farthest barangays to those who’ve already made name in their own fields,” she added.
Belmonte noted 16 outstanding individuals and five institutions will receive the Manuel L. Quezon Gawad Parangal awards 2019 in honor of their valuable contributions to the development of the nation on October 19 at Areté, Ateneo de Manila University.
This year's awards included awardees from different categories such as sports, arts and culture, public service, and social entrepreneurship.
Weekly activities
The festivities began with the enthronement of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary-La Naval, the city's patron saint, on October 2 at the Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC).
This was followed by the arrival of the Marian icon at the Quezon City Hall Lobby on October 3.
As part of longstanding tradition, novena masses will be celebrated every day until October 12.
On Philippine Councilors League Week starting October 8, health services will be offered free and on wheels with Health Caravan.
Free medical consultation and health talks will be available especially for poor communities as the caravan tour two districts in a day until October 10.
The QC Public Employment Service Office meanwhile announced that more than 6,400 job vacancies will be up for grab at the Mega Job Fair on October 8 and 25 at the QC Hall Grounds.
Agencies and companies from different industries such as fast food, manpower, overseas, and call centers will participate in the job fair.
On October 9, the city will host the Talent Night of Miss Earth International at the Quezon City Experience (QCX). An annual international environmental-themed beauty pageant, Miss Earth is a pageant franchise that started in Quezon City in 2001.
To mark the exact date of the city’s founding on October 12, Pista sa Kyusi (#Kyusi@80) will be held until October 13 at the QMC.
It will be highlighted by the 2.5km and 5km Fun Run that will be led by the QC Hall Employees Athletic Association (QCHEAA) with well-known fitness coach and 2018 Gawad Parangal awardee, Mr. Jim Saret.
Other activities during this weekend include free rappelling and wall climbing, art competition for High School Students, exhibition of best QC barangay bands, Mocktail Mixed Drink with Flairtending Competition, Cocktail Mixed Drink with Flairtending Competition, QC Symphonic Band concert, and an outdoor film showing.
In partnership with St. Lukes Medical Hospital, a free medical and dental mission will be available to the public on October 13 at the lobby of the QC Hall.
Celebrating the artistic brilliance of the city, QCinema International Film Festival will run from October 13 to 22.
With the theme “A Rising Wave,” this year’s festival focuses on the strides of Asian filmmakers around the world and recognizes the growing number of women filmmakers joining competitions for documentaries and short films.
Moviegoers can catch must-see cinematic treasures that will be showcased at the festival at partner movie theaters UP Town Center, Robinson’s Magnolia, Trinoma, and SM City North Edsa.
On the third week, two book launchings will take us to the past and back to the contemporary time.
“The City with a Soul” book will be launched first on October 15 at the Quezon City Experience (QCX).
Written by Dr. Luisa T. Camagay of the University of the Philippines, the book tells the history and documents the journey of the city envisioned by the late President Manuel L. Quezon as “a city with a soul.”
It was an offshoot of data-gathering originally done to provide materials for the establishment of the city’s museum now known as QCX.
This will be followed by the launching of “Quezon City Food Journal” on October 19 at Eastwood Mall Atrium.
It is a compilation of stories of successes as well as the humble beginnings of 40 proudly QC restaurants and food purveyors that originated from the city.
Ending the celebration on a high note will be Impact Hackathon on October 30 and 31 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
This culminating activity displays the city’s openness in welcoming innovation.
Dubbed “ambitious,” this event will become the world’s largest multi-city hackathon with 4,000 participants simultaneously hacking under one roof.
Even more so, a total of 10,000 hackers across various cities in the Philippines and Asia Pacific will be joining this 24-hour reversed hackathon.
Impact Hackathon is set to be the biggest gathering of Coders, Entrepreneurs, and Tech Leaders hacking for disruptive solutions to world problems.