Friday, July 6, 2012

Queen Sofia of Spain visits Zamboanga City





ZAMBOANGA CITY, July 6 (PNA) – House Deputy Speaker for Mindanao and first district Congresswoman Ma Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said the visit Thursday of Queen Sofia of Spain to Zamboanga City was a welcome development for this southern port city. 
Climaco-Salazar

Salazar said the Spanish government, through self-sustaining programs, had been extensively helping identified communities here in Zamboanga City through non-government organizations (NGOs).
Queen Sofia and her entourage that include Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Jorge Domecq arrived here aboard a presidential plane at 9:15 a.m. Thursday.
Queen Sofia visited several Spanish-funded projects that included housing projects, Akay Kalinga for street children, Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) and schools.
One of the schools the queen visited was the Claret School, which is run by Spanish priests who composed of the Claretian Missionary Fathers (CMF). 


“The partnership between these two countries (Philippines and Spain) had a long history. The fruit of this partnership are the various initiatives that they have generously extended to us,” Salazar said.
“As in my capacity as first district representative, our office has likewise partnered with Instituto de Cervantes of Manila to propagate the Spanish language as something very dear to our creole the Chabacano, so the visit has only strengthened all these initiatives,” Salazar said.
Instituto Cervantes is a worldwide non-profit organization created by the Spanish government in 1991.
It is the largest organization in the world dedicated to the teaching of the Spanish language and increasing knowledge of culture in Latin-American countries.
At present, Instituto Cervantes has 77 centers in 44 different countries. Its mission is to promote the teaching, study and use of Spanish as a second language, and to contribute to the advancement of Spanish and Latin-American cultures throughout the world.
Aside from visiting Spanish-funded projects, Queen Sofia also offered prayers and flowers and lighted candle at the Royal Fort of Our Virgin Lady of the Pillar of Zaragoza, commonly known as Fort Pilar.
Fort Pilar is a 17th century military defense fortress built by the Spanish colonial government in Zamboanga City.
Fort Pilar is a major landmark and a symbol of Zamboanga City’s cultural heritage.
Zamboanga City is only one of the three areas visited by Queen Sofia during her stay in the Philippines. The two other places are Albay and Manila. (PNA)

Lobregat thanks Zamboangueños for Queen Sofia’s warm welcome

ZAMBOANGA CITY, July 6 (PNA) – Mayor Celso Lobregat has expressed gratitude to residents of Zamboanga City for the rousing welcome accorded on Thursday to Queen Sofia of Spain.
Lobregat likewise thanked the military and police and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and all offices of the city government that helped in the successful turnout of the historical visit of the Queen to Zamboanga City.
In particular, Lobregat thanked Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) Chief Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director Chief Supt. Napoleon Estilles, Zamboanga City Police officer-in-charge Chief Supt. Mario Yanga, 3rd Air Division Commander Brig. Gen. Emeraldo Magnaye and Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) commander Rear Admiral Armando Guzman.
Lobregat also cited the participation and contribution of the different schools to the successful visit of Queen Sofia, specifically the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology, Southern City Colleges, Sinunuc Elementary School, Sinunuc National High School, Claret School, Don Pablo Lorenzo Memorial High School and the Sta. Maria Elementary School.
He said the Queen’s visit to Zamboanga City the whole day on Thursday turned out smooth, peaceful and well-organized.
“The rousing welcome we accorded the Queen is definitely a big boost to the peaceful image of the city of Zamboanga,” he stressed. 


He described the visit of the Queen Sofia, the first high foreign dignitary to visit this city was a monumental event for Zamboanga City.
Finally, Lobregat said gratitude also goes out to Queen Sofia herself, for making Zamboanga City one of the sites to be visited during her visit to the Philippines.
“It is truly an honor for the City of Zamboanga to be visited by the Queen of Spain. I don’t think there was any other foreign dignitary of such stature that ever visited Zamboanga in the past,” Lobregat added. (PNA)

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