MORE than 30 Kagay-anon expatriates or balikbayans from the US, Canada, and other parts of the world were feted by Cagayan de Oro City Hall officials during the ‘Duaw Sa Kagay-an’ Fellowship Night held at the City Tourism Hall.

In a message on behalf of Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando Uy, City Administrator Roy Hilario Raagas welcomed the Kagay-anon expatriates who arrived in the city in time for the annual celebration of the Higalaay Festival which ended the day before.

“The month-long fiesta is a testament to the unity and camaraderie that define our beautiful city,” Raagas said.

Raagas said the fellowship night is a celebration of the strong bond that ties Kagay-anon expatriates to their city that ‘transcends borders and distance.’

“Your presence here is a testament to the enduring love you have for our city,” Raagas said, adding that next year, Cagayan de Oro City officials led by Mayor Uy will attend the ‘Tapok Kagay-an’ event to be held in Los Angeles, California.

The Kagay-anon expatriates arrived in the city to attend several core events of the 2023 Higalaay Festival, including the Miss Cagayan de Oro 2023 coronation night, the Mindanao Fashion Summit, and the Oro Street Dancing competition.

EXPATS. The Kagay-anon expatriates pose with Cagayan de Oro City Hall officials during the ‘Duaw Kagay-an’ Fellowship Night held at the City Tourism Hall. Contributed photo

During the program, the Kagay-an Performing Arts conducted the official Higalaay Festival ‘Nine Steps’ dance which illustrates Cagayan de Oro City’s social, cultural, and religious heritage. The dance was launched during the Aug. 1 opening of the Higalaay Festival.

In his message, acting Asst. Regional Director Decius ‘Yoyong’ Esmedalla of the Department of Tourism-10 said their office and City Hall value their partnership with the Kagay-anon expatriates in helping promote Cagayan de Oro City as a top tourism and investment destination in Mindanao to the world.

“We look forward to more years of collaboration with you in promoting the city,” he said.

Later, Councilor Edgar Cabanlas cited the city’s growth as a highly urbanized city (HUC) while acknowledging that it still faces challenges like traffic.

“We are trying our best with the limited resources that we have to meet and resolve these challenges…we hope to sustain our growth so we can produce more jobs which will mean more food for the table especially for the poor,” Cabanlas told the expatriates. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)