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CNMI man’amko tour Guam
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Posted on Nov 24 2005
Forty-two man’amko from Saipan and 16 from Rota returned from a five-day tour of Guam last Monday.
Office on Aging director Joseph Palacios said the CNMI man’amko visited the southernmost island of the Marianas chain to participate in the Guam/CNMI Goodwill Tour, which was held from Nov. 17 to 21.
Palacios said the tour was a first for the Saipan man’amko since Rota’s elderly have been participating in the tour for the past five years.
Palacios said after touching down on Guam the CNMI man’amko were immediately treated to a fancy luncheon hosted by the Guam Association of Mayors and the elected consul of the CNMI at Agana Heights. Municipal Council for Saipan chair Gregorio Deleon Guerrero also joined the group in the luncheon.
Guam Southern Mayors hosted the luncheon the next day.
“It was like a fiesta. There were so much food and entertainment. The totality was great,” Palacios said.
The CNMI delegates also had the chance to tour the island. Palacios recalled that the man’amko had a great time especially when they visited the Underwater World on Guam. He said there was excitement painted all over the faces of the man’amko. The group then went out and shopped at the U.S. territory’s famous shopping malls in the evening.
Palacios said the trip would not have been possible if not for the hard work of the man’amko themselves. He said just since February this year the Aging Center had collected $27,000 from all the fundraising activities such as car wash, hot lunches, and pastry selling it conducted. He said the money was sufficient to finance the airplane fare and the $100 pocket money for each Saipan delegate.
Guam’s Archbishop Anthony Apuron led a Mass for the man’amko on Sunday and Monday was allotted for a free health screening for the elderly. “Their blood count, cholesterol level, blood pressure, and others were measured,” Palacios said.
Palacios also said that Sta. Rita mayor Joseph Wesley recognized the CNMI group. He said the mayor accompanied the group from Day 1 until the end of their trip. Palacios also thanked the CNMI Liaison Office, especially to officer Bobbie Iglesias, for the coordination of their hotel and accommodation arrangements.
