The first Argao Singing Idol and Sayaw Argao Dance Group winners were proclaimed last September 27, 2009, during the grand finals of both contests held at the President Diosdado Macapagal Sports and Cultural Center.

                The four finalists for the Argao Singing Idol 2009 were Dwight Brian Chavez, Eeven Eslin Bacaltos, Ruth Fuentes, and Mhera Fuentes.  The three final groups for Sayaw Argao were the Sci-tech Dancers, the Lycans, and G-Tings. 

As a continuation to last year’s successful Garbo sa Argao Grand Awards Night, the local government of Argao decided to continue the tradition of awarding successful and outstanding Argawanons.  This year, during the Garbi sa Argao Grand Awards Night held at the Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Sports and Cultural Center on September 26, 2009, the following categories were established to simplify the awarding ceremony:

                Daniel Lim Sesaldo was born July 21, 1936 in Granada, Boljoon, Cebu, to Blaza Sesaldo and Ku Lim Sangan.  He studied at the Cebu Gospel School and later finished his Commerce degree from the University of San Carlos.    He married Azucena Diez Miñoza, daughter of former Mayor Eliseo E. Miñoza, on January 14, 1965 in Argao, Cebu.

Three hopefuls of the first ever Argao Singing Idol and two dance groups of the Sayaw Argao were eliminated last Saturday, August 8, 2009, held at the Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Sports and Cultural Center.

As part of the Province’s month-long celebration of Cebu’s 440^th founding anniversary, the Province of Cebu once more held the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Festival of Festivals last August 15, 2009, at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

                Despite budgetary constraints and several other problems, the Argao Pitlagong Festival contingent joined in both the festival queen and ritual showdown competitions and performed to the best of their ability despite being clearly outdone by other contingents in terms of costumes, props, and backdrop. 

Caving experts and enthusiasts from all over the Philippines met together for the very first national seminar-workshop on Cave Research Survey Methods held on August 11 to 12, 2009 at the CSCST – Argao Campus.  The event was jointly sponsored by the Cebu Biodiversity Conservation Foundation (CBCF) and the Protected Area and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in cooperation with the CSCST – Argao Campus and the Local Government of Argao, Cebu. 

Government officials and employees of the municipality of Maydolong, Eastern Samar visited Argao on July 2, 2009.  After a courtesy call at the mayor’s office, the officials and employees proceeded to the training center where Culture and Heritage officer Todd Lucero Sales gave a brief presentation on Argao’s history and profile.  Dr. Rhine Mamac, RHU-1 head, also gave a presentation on the steps and activities taken by the municipality to curb the malnutrition rate of the town.  After which the guests were taken to barangay Langub where they saw the efficiency of the barangay’s transactions due to the concentration of its government buildings in one compound. (TLS)

The Cebu Queen City Lion’s Club, together with the Moriah Lodge No. 252 of the Free and Accepted Masons and the Customs Inspectors and Guides Association (CIGA), sponsored a medical mission in barangay Bogo, Argao, on July 4, 2009.  Free medical and dental checkups were provided by the medical and dental team that the organizers brought with them.

                The Lion’s Club is headed by Atty. Raul Sanchez; Paul Alcazaren heads the Moriah Lodge No. 252 of the Free and Accepted Masons; and Edgar A. Galeos, brother of municipal mayor Edsel A. Galeos, is the president of the CIGA.

Dr. Elmer Molina Abear, grandson of Mariano Abear, former President of Argao and son of Maria Guadalupe Molina Abear, Argao’s second lady councilor, launched “Life and Death, its Humor and Sorrows”, last July 4, 2009 at the Argao training center.  Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr., now the Philippines’ permanent representative to the United Nations, stated in his jacket review of the book that “only Dr. Elmer M. Abear could have written Life and Death, its Humor and Sorrows…which were part of God’s plan for a man whose journey between life and death is to witness the truth that He is God of both the living and the dead, and to herald and live his divine message of love and service.”

The newly elected officers of the Argao Business Community, Inc. (ABCI) were sworn in by Mayor Edsel A. Galeos on July 14, 2009, at the Kalumpang Beach Resort.  In a simple swearing in ceremony, the newly elected officers of the ABCI pledged to faithfully and truthfully execute their duties and responsibilities as officers of the business group.

                Before they were sworn in, Mayor Edsel A. Galeos presented to the group the proposed plan for the new Argao Public Market.  He once more asked the business community to support all his efforts and endeavors as they always had.

A 2-day training for operators of Botika ng Barangay was held in the Municipal Training Center of Argao on June 15 and 16, 2009.  The training organizers gave the general guidelines, minimum requirements to set up a botika ng barangay, and talked about human resource management, financial management, self care and self medication, key concepts on supply management and stock replenishment, monitoring, and logistics management.

The first batch of singing hopefuls auditioned for the first ever Argao Singing Idol on June 13, 2009, at the Argao Legislative building.  Of the eighteen (18) people who auditioned, only one was voted out.  The hopefuls ranged in age from as young as 18 to as old as 54 years old.

The municipality of Argao joined in the national celebration of the 111^th Independence Day of the Philippines on June 12, 2009.  With the theme “Kagitingan, Kagalingan, at Kasipagan tungo sa Tunay na Kalayaan”, the town’s own commemoration of the Philippine’s independence took place in the town plaza and was participated by government officials and employees, students, teachers, and others from different sectors.

The Sangguniang Kabataan Federation of Argao awarded the top 5 graduating high school students for the school year 2009 last June 6, 2009, at the President Diosdado Macapagal Sports and Cultural Center.

                Fifteen graduates from various private and national high schools vied for the top 5 places.  The fifteen candidates were ranked according to their grades, participation in their communities, extra- and co-curricular activities, and how they fared during the panel interview.  Of the fifteen, five were chosen and named the most outstanding high school graduates.

                The awardees were Evelyn Remando from Usmad National High School; Janette C. Abrigana from Manlapay National High School; James Gabriel Mamalias from Mandilikit National High School; Monica Blaise B. Saniel from CSCST – High School; and Mariza Kintanar from Argao National High School.

Once again, the Argao Performing Arts (APA) group performed for guests of the governor of Cebu during the oath-taking of Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD) Representative Jude Alcover at the Capitol Social Hall on May 22, 2009.  The APA performed together with the Karansa Festival dance company of Danao City and the Mantawi Festival dancers of Mandaue City.

                During the event, ANAD representative Jude Alcover thanked Governor Gwen Garcia for her support for his party-list.  He also lambasted the so-called “Big 4” Maoist-Communists of Congress for their alleged infiltration of mainstream politics.  Other guests included Deputy House Speaker Pablo “Pabling” Garcia and BANTAY Party list representative Jovito Palparan.  Also present during the oath-taking ceremony were the mayors of Dalaguete, Ginatilan, Alcoy, Sibonga, Dumanjug, and Ronda.

During the turn-over ceremony of the output of the cultural mapping project of the Central Visayas Studies Center, the Municipality of Argao, through the Culture and Heritage Office, gave Dr. Madrilena de la Cerna and Mr. Ruel Javier Rigor the Presidente Alejandro Ruiz O. Award for their enormous contributions to the cultural and heritage endeavors of the municipality of Argao. 

                The Presidente Alejandro Ruiz Award is given to any non-Argawanon individual, group, or institution that has given great service to the Municipality of Argao.  Great service may be in the form of financial assistance or any form of support for the cultural, tourism, and heritage activities and endeavors of the municipality.  Born in Ermita, Manila, Alejandro Ruiz and his family moved to Cebu city when he was ten years old.  He eventually graduated from the University of San Carlos and later became a successful businessman. 

The Argao Culture and Heritage Office, with the assistance of the Argao Tourism Office and the Liga ng mga Barangay, sponsored the Turn-over ceremony of the cultural mapping output of Argao done by the Central Visayas Studies Center (CVSC) and the University of the Philippines Cebu College.

                The cultural mapping project was first done by the Central Visayas Studies Center in cooperation with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. in 2006.  The director of the CVSC, Dr. Madrilena de la Cerna, decided to simply conduct a cultural map.  In February of this year she brought more than 70 of her students to Argao to fully document the rich cultural and natural heritage of each of Argao’s 45 barangays.  These students then came up with a brochure and a poster for each barangay displaying various aspects of their culture and natural bounty.

A double feature of two singing competitions, sponsored by the Municipality of Argao, was held in Argao last Friday, March 27, 2009, at the President Diosdado Macapagal Sports and Cultural Center.

                The competitions, dubbed as the Battle of Champions and Doble Kara, featured various entertainers from different parts of Cebu.  The first part of the program, the Battle of Champions, featured seven contestants.  The second part of the program, the Doble Kara, featured the same seven contestants dressed as half a man and half a woman performing in both voices which drew much applause and laughter from the crowd.

                Arman Dimo, Glen Aresgado, and Steve Baynosa won the first to third places in the Battle of Champions, respectively, while Jun Adlawan, Arman Dimo, and Rey Legaspi won in the Doble Kara competition.

Cebu 2^nd district congressional representative Pablo P. Garcia visited Argao on March 26, 2009 to turn over the financial assistance he promised to the barangays of Argao. 

                The turn-over ceremony was done at the Liga ng mga Barangay office.  Cong. Garcia turned over P50,000.00 to every barangay of Argao as financial assistance to the projects of the barangays.  The money was also intended to assist the Association of Barangay Captains for the minor repairs needed for their office.  P250,000.00 was also given to the municipality of Argao as financial aid.