IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay -- The provincial government has lined up week-long activities to mark its 18th founding anniversary on Feb. 26.
The activities kicked-off Monday with a motorcade followed by a mass and opening of the week-long agri-fishery trade fair at the Capitol grounds in Barangay Ipil Heights, this town.
Other highlights of the opening day celebration are the graduation of 487 farmers from technological transfer training to enhance productivity, and the preliminary contest for the Tourism Queen, a beauty pageant for transgenders.
Governor Wilter Palma told the Philippine News Agency that the agri-fishery trade fair showcases the different agricultural produce of the province.
The trade fair is participated in by the different municipalities and sectors of this province.
Palma said the technological transfer training is aimed at increasing the productivity of the local farmers through the introduction of new farming methods.
Palma said the Tourism Queen event aims to showcase Zamboanga Sibugay's tourism industry, as well as highlight the province's gender equality policies.
“Whether we like it or not, they (transgenders) are part of the community. They are part of the society,” he said.
He said there are 18 participants in this year’s Miss Sibugay Beauty Pageant.
He said the other activities include the motocross and extreme off-road competition that would feature international and professional riders.
The other activities include ball games, mountain marathon, and mountain bike competition, and the farmers' summit.
Zamboanga Sibugay is the 79th province created in the Philippines when its territories were carved out from the third district of Zamboanga del Sur in 2001. It is comprised of 16 towns, with a population of 633,129 based on the 2015 census. (PNA)
