EW WASHINGTON, Aklan – Ambassador Antonio Cabangon Chua declared the hometown of the late Roman Catholic prince Jaime Cardinal L. Sin "the next destination for religious pilgrimage."
This he stressed after the municipal government named him adopted son of New Washington, Aklan, saying as opportunities arise, he will be "more than willing to take a stake in the competitive opportunities this vibrant town offers."
Cabangon Chua, his first time in Aklan, hailed Cardinal Sin as an outstanding Aklanon who’s legacy of service to God and country helped restore democracy and earned him an enviable place in history.
"Perhaps, it’s not just mere coincidence that my friendship with Cardinal Sin led me to New Washington, his birthplace. An abiding faith in God and an unchartered fate in life may have destined me to follow Cardinal Sin to his hometown," he added.
August 31, declared a special non-working holiday, is the birth anniversary of Cardinal Sin.
"With the rise of the statue of Cardinal Sin, I can sense the tremendous potentials of this town to propel it to become a major production base and a trading hub in agriculture, aquaculture, eco-tourism and sea transport in Aklan," he pointed out.
Cabangon Chua, chairman of the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) and business leader of the ALC Group of Companies, stressed he "feels proud of his friendship with Cardinal Sin and now his fellow Aklanon, he shall always treasure it."
He also lauded the vision, hardwork and determination of Mayor Edgar Peralta and Vice Mayor Jean Velarde as New Washington gained miles of progress over the past years.
"In the years to come, we can say with confidence that New Washington will gain more headway as it pursues its programs of economic development with idealism, vigor and enthusiasm because of the glorious history of the Aklanons in shaping and nurturing the social, political and economic life of our country even before the Spanish colonial period," he said.
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