Joining the other guests during the Jaro Coronation Program



So many street shops in Jaro during the Jaro Fiesta




February 2, 2009

I was born in Iloilo City on the month of August of year 1979. Nanay wanted to give birth in Iloilo City. As such, even when she was 9 months pregnant and a day or so before giving birth flew back to Iloilo City from Manila. She told me that her bag of water broke while riding the plane on the 10th of August and thought I would be born during that travel. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be and I was born the next day in Iloilo City. I was even joking, if I were born inside an airplane during its commercial flight, I could have had any local and foreign trip for free for the rest of my life. It is said to be a practice of airline companies to extend such a privilege since it only happens once in awhile and it is said to bring good luck to the airline company.

I had my first 2 years of my life in Iloilo. I was then brought to Manila when I was 2 years old and a half for the start of my kindergarten. I continued my schooling years up to finishing my Masters Degree in various schools and universities in Metro Manila such as La Salle Green Hills, Ateneo De Manila University, Asian Institute of Management and the University of the Philippines-Diliman Campus. I was visiting Iloilo City every summer or during the Christmas season. I remember staying in my tita’s house in Petalsville Subdivision, barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro and then eventually in my sister’s apartment located in barangay San Jose, Jaro. As I formally became a resident and a registered voter of the City of Iloilo in late 2005, I became officially a resident of MV Hechanova Subdivision, barangay MV Hechanova, District of Jaro, Iloilo City and that is a fact I am proud of until this day.

The District of Jaro has been part of my past, my growing up years and even with my political career. The people of Jaro have been very warm in welcoming me to our beloved District. I am so grateful of their warm hospitality.

After the Dinagyang Festival and the Chinese New Year Celebration, another big event is coming to Iloilo City, the highlight celebration of the Feast of the Lady of Candles or the Jaro Fiesta. It is said to be the most prestigious fiesta in Western Visayas. I am one of the proud residents of Jaro who will join the said event and who didn’t miss the opening salvo even at the time when the Dinagyang Festival had its opening salvo and the Arevalo District Fiesta had its highlight event.

Let us thank the Lord for the blessings he has brought our beloved Jaro District and the strength he has given us to have risen up from the calamity brought about by Typhoon Frank last year. Jaro was one of the Districts in the City that was hardly hit but with the resilience of the people of Jaro, we stood up again and passed the tests and challenges that came our way.

NagaUGYON ako sa pagselebrar sa kapistahan sang Distrito sang Jaro. Happy Fiesta sa akun mga Ka-Distrito.