Three years ago, I attended the Araw ng Pasig Celebration (439th Founding Day), and I was disappointed by the Grand Parade – how it’s full of government employees and appears to be an Alay Lakad.
A few hours ago, I attended the Araw ng Pasig 2015 (442nd Founding Day) and it’s even a longer line of people. It’s still as boring as ever and it’s like watching a procession of a famous dead person (on his way to the cemetery).
Mayor Maribel Eusebio (in purple) and her husband, Bobby Eusebio (former Mayor of Pasig), in stripes.
There are very few bands playing, very few people dancing, and definitely a lot of Pasig City employees doing an Alay Lakad in their uniform (which is mostly in blue and red). I don’t know if these people are obliged to attend this every year.
After the government employees, it’s another wave of people – from the different elementary and high schools in Pasig City. The only float that I saw (that’s unique from the sea of people) was from Bagong Ilog. They have a replica of a boat with an image of the Virgin Mary.
How do we expect tourists from other parts of Metro Manila (and the Philippines) to go all the way here in Pasig City during the City’s founding anniversary, when all they would see, in the Grand Parade, are government employees?
The Tourism Office of Pasig (if such entity exists) should really consider modifying the Grand Parade. I'm sure I'm not the only one saying it’s boring, senseless and doesn’t help in the tourism drive of Pasig.
[Edit: There is a Facebook page for Pasig City Cultural Affairs and Tourism Office. I also posted a link to this blog post. I hope they’ll listen.]
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