BACOLOD CITY — The City of Bago in Negros Occidental mounted a photo exhibit to remember the 90th birth anniversary of its distinguished son, Rafael M. Salas, who became the first head of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The exhibit, which opened on Tuesday and will run until Friday, is part of the series of commemoration activities, which started with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Salas bust in front of the Bago Community Center on Tuesday morning.
Mayor Nicholas Yulo said in his message that it is only fitting the people of Bago celebrate the birth anniversary of Salas.
“It is important because we need to teach our children a model person for them to emulate. There are many heroes here in Bago City, but the more contemporary one is Rafael Salas. There are many buildings and edifices in his honor. He was a great person, a statesman, (and) more so because he is a Bagonhon,” the mayor added.
Salas, who was born on August 7, 1928 in Bago City, died on March 4, 1987 while he was the head of UNFPA. He also served as Executive Secretary to then President Ferdinand Marcos.
“His humility got him where he was, never mind the excellence, the brilliance. He remained as humble as ever,” Yulo said.
“We’re showing this to our young people. We also must strive like him. We are in the forefront of nation-building and Rafael Salas showed us the way,” the mayor added.
Salas, the First Executive Director of UNFPA between 1969 and 1987, developed the world’s first-ever population program, the Commission on Population (POPCOM) said.
The POPCOM established the Rafael M. Salas Population and Development Award in 1989 to perpetuate his legacy, by honoring local government units, local chief executives and institutions or individuals for their outstanding contributions in the field of population and development.
The four-day photo exhibit at the second floor of Bago City Hall features the life of Salas during his childhood in Bago, his journey as a student leader at the University of the Philippines, the time he became Executive Secretary, and his decision to leave the Cabinet and begin his work at the United Nations.
The exhibit also shows the love of Salas for haiku, a short Japanese poem with seventeen syllables and three verses.
Testimonials of various individuals about Salas are also be displayed.
A lecture series on Salas was also held at the Bago Community Center after the exhibit opening.
POPCOM Executive Director Juan Antonio Perez III talked about the life and works of Salas as a development worker in the Philippines and at the UNFPA; Dr. Arnel Genzola discussed youth and development as exemplified by Salas; and Atty. Raymundo Pandan Jr. focused on Salas as a literary man, with his writings, books, and haikus. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
