| It had to be the wettest parade in
Gapan City ever, in the wettest month of the year. Monsoon rains induced
by two typhoons northeast of Luzon considerably dampened -- no, soaked!
-- the 2004 Grand Tsinelas Parade held last August 25 to mark
the Third Charter Anniversary of Gapan City.
The many noisy, colorfully clad contingents
of elementary school street dancers and high school and college students
that were a feature of last year's parade were nowhere in sight. Also missed
were the huge delegations from the city's different barangays, leaving
those ever-loyal, blue-shirted, slipper-clad City Hall officials and employees
to trod and slosh their way through the entire length of the parade practically
all by themselves.
.
City Mayor Ernesto Natividad
in rain gear and obligatory
tsinelas. |
Gapan City's First and Second
Ladies lead
the parade participants. |
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At the tail of the parade:
Mutya ng Gapan 2004
Mariel Matias. |
Digital
photos and text by Ramon R. Valmonte
August
2004
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