By Danny Estacio

TIAONG, Quezon – Mayor Vincent Arjay Mea said here on Tuesday that one of the highlights of BayaniJuan Festival 2024 is to honor the Overseas Filipino Workers ( OFW) and Balik Bayan and the sector of small and medium enterprises which gave a big contribution in the progress and economic development in this town.

The festival started on June 18 until June 24 and lined up a weeklong event in honor of the town’s patron St. John the Baptist.

Mea said in the interview that he asked for the support of the Balikbayan and the OFW to put up investments in their communities to help the residents in the upliftment of the economic condition.

Mea received an affirmative response from the Balikbayan who came back just to witness the festival.

Mea added that he targeted the small medium business enterprises in recognizing their huge contribution to the local government, and they were chosen from 31 barangays with three awardees each.

The said business sector is vital in sharing the local taxes the LGU collected to P106 million in recent years from the previous P60 million collections in 2021.

Because of the tax collected and contribution from the said sector businesses and investment this town has from ” kuting”(kitten) in the future into a tiger economy in the province of Quezon.

Mea added to make the festival more vibrant and exciting several movies, TV, and singers’ personalities were invited to perform at Mayor’s RJM night.