The Circus comes to town

First there were the men in shirtsleeves with their fresh poultry meats, stitching ropes to several tents on a big bare field of wet grass. All of it mushroomed in the city’s Energy Park and there it was, the big top, a great round tent over a sawdust stage. Welcome to the most spectacular show in town, where entrance is for free and anyone can be a star. 

See the ringmaster in a fitting tee, microphone in one hand, waddling towards the center of the field. Watch him wink, see him wave, listen to his voice as it echoes in the field. Step this way, step this way, watch your feet, watch the mud. 

The dark clouds that enveloped the sky on that Sunday morning seemed to deliver a warning. A torrential rain is in the offing but the magnanimous spirit of the city hall employees prevailed.

On March 4, 2012, hundreds of city hall employees trooped to the sprawling Energy Park for the second installment of the Employees Fun Day, organized by the City Human Resources Management Office. For eight hours, we laughed until our stomach aches and ate like a pro. And got dirty, too.

I’ll show you what I saw when the scarlet wagons rolled in through the photographs selected from 1,209 frames I captured during that day.

Louie.

FOR MORE PICTURES, CLICK HERE.

The article I wrote (and some of the photos I took along with CIO Master Shutterbug Francis Abrenica landed a full-page in Mindanao Times' March 6, 2012 issue.
Here's the unedited PR I wrote in its entirety:

City Employees hold fun day 

Fun days are more fun in the Philippines. And this was proven by the city’s public servants.

Intermittent rain showers did not hamper the employees of the City Government of Tagum to engage in a one-day hiatus for the second installment of the Employees Fun Day held March 4, 2012 at the city’s sprawling Energy Park in Barangay Apokon.

Hundreds of employees trooped to the event and spent the whole day in fun games which elicited laughter and excitement. Departments of the city hall were clustered and battled for supremacy anchored on camaraderie and sportsmanship.

This year’s celebration was organized by the City Human Resources Management Office.

Sunday’s event kicked-off with a bayanihan with employees taking turns in soil bagging which will be used by the City Agriculturist’s Office.

In his message to the city’s public servants, Mayor Rey T. Uy underscored the importance of holding such event which will bond employees amidst the stress from office works.

City Human Resource Management Officer Edna J.Quilario said this is the local government’s way of treating employees and reserve a day wherein they can bond with each other.

This activity is one of the week-long events lined up for the 14^th Araw ng Tagum which will be on March 7.

An Inter-LGU Volleyball Tournament kicked off March 5, 2012 at the city’s Freedom Park which drew participation from Asuncion, San Isidro, Kapalong, Island Garden City of Samal, Talaingod and New Corella.

On March 6, this city will unveil the historic memorabilia where past and present leaders of the city will convene together at the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s Session Hall.

A huge civic parade will dot the city’s major thoroughfares on March 7 starting at 7 in the morning and shall be followed by a culmination program at the Rotary Gym where selected Tagumeños from the different sectors of the society will speak about the city’s development.

A massive Free Social Services at the city’s trade and cultural center will also be rendered by the local government  on March 7 which includes the following: Dental, Blood Pressure Monitoring, Minor Surgery, Blood Letting, NSO Processing and Authentication, Therapeutic Massage, Manicure, Pedicure, Haircut and a Libreng Tawag courtesy of Globe Telecom. Louie Lapat of CIO Tagum