South Leyte solon to share meal with indigent senior citizens on natal day

By Erna Sy Gorne

Maasin City (August 28) — For years, Congressman Roger Gaviola Mercado always find time to share a meal with the most vulnerable sectors of the society as among his highlights every time he celebrate his natal day, of course next to his number one passion, tree planting simultaneously in three barangays in Maasin City on August 29, 2009.

This time, the Southern Leyte solon has invited some 100 indigent senior citizens in the city to be accompanied by their escorts, a total of two hundred persons will be served with special meals in the afternoon at the prestigious Kinamot sa Abgao restaurant in Maasin City on the same day.

In close coordination with the Limasawa Development Foundation (LIDEF), a non-government organization based in the locality, will also prepare for gifts to be given away for each the solon’s especial guests such as milk, rice, soap, biscuits, among others. They will also receive a T-shirt from the birthday celebrant.

As early as 6:00 in the morning, Congressman Mercado will lead in the massive tree planting to be conducted in Barangays Bogo, Dongon and San Jose, all of Maasin City simultaneously. It was learned that some 2,000 seedlings shall be planted in three barangays to mark the 58th natal day of the representative.

Then a holy mass will be celebrated at Barangay Bogo at 10:00 in the morning. It will be followed with shortly with a signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Visayas State University (VSU), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Congressman Mercado. However, the details of the MOA were not known yet, as of this writing. (PIA Southern Leyte/esg)