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The Balik Sorsoganons in different parts of the world, particularly the United States, will skip this year, and come back to their home province, Sorsogon, for another visit next year, 2005, promising to be better organized, and in greater numbers. This was the consensus of the body during its assessment and organizational meeting October 31, 2003 at the Lewis College in Sorsogon City, or immediately after the series of hectic activities during Balik Sorsogon 2003, which was one of the featured activities during the Kasanggayahan Festival 2003.
In order to ensure its success in 2005, the body elected the following persons as officers/coordinators for the 2005 activity. This include, Macario L Jeresano, as overall chairman, Balik Sorsogon 2005; Mency Manalac Gardose, co-chair for USA; Lily Espedido, co-chair for Canada; and Lily Salandanan Villegas, co-chair for the Philippines. The honorary chairmen include Loida Nicolas Lewis, overall coordinator, Balik Sorsogon 2003; Cecilia H. Duran, outgoing chair, Sorsogon Provincial Tourism Council; and Milagros Z. Duana, SPTC Balik Sorsogon 2003 committee chairman.
Meanwhile, there are now suggestions from different quarters of the Balik Sorsogon community that, instead of the Kasanggayahan Festival in October, the Balik Sorsogon program be held during the Pili Festival of Sorsogon City in June, which also coincides with the traditional Sorsogon town fiesta, in honor of Sts. Peter and Paul, its paatron saints.
The reason why some Balik Sorsoganons want the activities in June is because, according to them, October is still schooldays time in America and it is very difficult for parents to leave their children during this period, while June is already the start of vacation for the children. Another reason is the Balik Gubat people also come to visit their hometown in June, during the annual town fiesta of Gubat, where they also have their Ginubat Festival. This means, especially for the Gubateno Balikbayans, they will actually be able to take in two local festivals if they come in June.
Msgr. Francisco P. Monje, president of the Kasanggayahan Foundation, Inc., the KFI and the Sorsogon Provincial Tourism Council, and the Balik Sorsogon 2005 will try to get together to resolve the problem of whether to hold the Balik Sorsogon Festival in October or in June, as suggested.
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