By Bong Pedalino

Maasin City (August 5) -- Senate President Manuel Villar will be in this city on Saturday, August 9, to grace the opening of the "Pabulhon Agri-Aqua Fair", one of the major activities to mark this year's 8th Charter Day celebration on August 10.

In a radio program at DYDM this morning, Mayor Maloney Samaco confirmed Villar's presence, saying the Senate President will be at the Visayas State University (VSU) on that day for a separate appointment, and will proceed right away to the city.

Villar, however, will be attending the "pabulhon" fair only, which is held a day before the Charter Day proper.

It will be Cebu Vice-Mayor Michael Rama who will be the guest speaker during the 8th anniversary rites on August 10, Samaco said.

Rama has been groomed as the next Cebu City Mayor by the incumbent Mayor himself, Tomas Osmena, so this early the sister-city relationship between the two local government units should be in the works, Samaco stressed.

Besides, Samaco added that Rama has been a long-time friend way back in the Vice-Mayor's League when he was still a Vice-Mayor.

The invitation to be this year's Charter Day guest was first sent to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who professed he had his ancestral roots in Maasin.

But Duterte declined because of a recent medical operation, it was learned.

Even then, Samaco said he would reserve Duterte's attendance for next year's festivities.

Last week, an open invitational basketball tournament kicked off this year's observance even before the formal opening salvo last June 1. Over the weekend an open invitational women's volleyball tournament was also held, a bikathon, and a battle of the bands in the evening of August 1.

This week, an inter-school softball and volleyball games will be competed by various students from around the city, while a number of nocturnal activities have been lined up as well.