His life, exploits retold on Apo Lakay’s B-day

BATAC CITY, Sept. 12– More than 4,000 participants joined the throng of revelers in the third day of the weeklong Marcos Fiesta celebration, September 11, with 1,500 of them dancing en masse to retell the colorful life and achievements of former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos held yesterday night in front of Imelda Cultural Center, in this city. It was FM 96th birth anniversary.

Earlier at 8:00 am, the Sarrat Heritage Walk was launched as new attraction in the Marcos trail, the most sought-after tour in the province to boost the tourism campaign, Paoay Kumakaway!

At 5:30 pm, at least two Ilocano business firms used the Marcos Museum here as display room to retail to the buying public the Imee Timepieces. The proceeds of retail sales will be used as fund to upgrade the local weaving community in the province.

Later, when the time piece struck 7:30 pm, the Batac public square in front of the Cultural Center was virtually a sea of humanity that saw a huge dance-drama flash mob. At the stage, the emcees repeatedly declared that the revelers had swelled into a mammoth crowd saying that thousands of friends and relatives of the late President Marcos including Marcos loyalists from Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao and some parts of the country had arrived in drove to join the affair.

Crowd drawers were Banana Split comedian Pooh and the award-winning rock band, Sponge Cola. They wrapped up the night by staging the co-called “Macoy Concert 2” of comic acts and electrifying music numbers, respectively.

A highlight of the evening event, the flashmob, comprised of high school and college students, portrayed the important events about the transition life of the late President such as his childhood, imprisonment, marriage, impressive exploits and his political ascension to the presidency.

Combined with the theatrical act was a choreographed routine performance number by the whole group, all clad in red-and-blue t-shirt uniforms bearing the emblazoned slogan, “Marcos pa rin!”.

Some selected flashmob impersonators mimicked as President Marcos, his wife First Lady Imelda Marcos (particularly her best attire signature– a butterfly-sleeved terno and retro updo) as well as the characters of the siblings Governor Imee, Senator Bongbong, and Irene.

“Together, we can make this nation great again!”, a young Marcos impersonator said in baritone voice depicting FM first inaugural address as elected president of the Republic of the Philippines shortly after winning the 1965 presidential polls. The re-echoing by the impersonator of that famous iconic punchline of the late President drew a thunderous applause from the crowd.

It may be noted that Marcos Fiesta had its maiden celebration in Ilocos Norte last year during the first-term of Governor Imee. It aims to strengthen the Ilocano national identity inspired by the wisdom and fame of this Ilocos Norte’s famous illustrious son who became the greatest president the country it ever had.—Grazielle Mae A. Sales, PGIN-CMO