MARAWI CITY (PIA) — The provincial government of Lanao del Sur officially launched its month-long founding anniversary celebration, dubbed “Pakaradiyaan o Sarimanok,” with a traditional “Pagana Meranaw” ceremony at the provincial capitol gym on July 4.
Vice Governor Mohammad Khalid Rakiin-Adiong led the ceremony, joined by provincial government officials, representatives from national and regional agencies in the province, civil society organizations, and the private sector.
Adiong emphasized the celebration’s importance in promoting Meranaw identity and cultural preservation. He also called for unity and cooperation among the Meranaw people to achieve progress, peace, and order in Lanao del Sur and contribute to developing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The month-long celebration features various activities, including stakeholder engagements focused on youth development, disaster risk reduction, women’s and children’s issues, innovative governance, and sustainable development in the province. These are the Ranao Youth Summit (July 9–11), the Disaster Resilience Summit (July 22–23), the CSO Summit (July 24), and the ICT Summit (July 26).
Several contests will showcase the talents and skills of Lanao del Sur residents, including the Ranaw Sensation Finals (July 30), an interschool culinary competition (July 25), chess, scrabble, and dart tournaments (July 8–10), essay writing (July 22), photography and video-making contests (July 19–23), and quiz bowl (July 28).
Sports enthusiasts can participate in a marathon, walkathon, off-road racing (July 25–26), an airsoft tournament (July 20–21), badminton and volleyball tournaments, a cycling adventure around the lake (July 27), and “Kasipa sa Ranaw,” an exhibition featuring Meranaw cultural masters playing the traditional sport “Kapisa sa Lama” (July 10, 17, and 24).
Activities geared towards revitalizing agriculture, business, and the environment include a livestock and poultry congress (July 24), a food service supplier expo (July 5–6), a Ranao Lake coastal clean-up drive, and community tour guiding training.
Completing the activities is the food bazaar and government services exhibit (July 15–19), where visitors can enjoy local delicacies while accessing important services offered by national, regional, and provincial agencies, including financial and medical assistance payouts, minor surgical services, and dental and optical missions. (APB/PIA-10 Lanao del Sur)
