Pinangunahan ni Gob. V. Dennis M. Socrates ang isinagawang Blessing of the Restored Governor’s Residence at Launching of the Book History of Palawan by Diokno R. Manlavi ngayong umaga, Agosto 23, 2023 na ginanap sa compound ng Old Governor’s Residence sa Quezon St., Brgy. Matiyaga, lungsod ng Puerto Princesa.

Dumalo sa aktibidad upang makiisa at magbigay suporta sa proyekto sina Bise Gob. Leoncio N. Ola, Board Members Winston Arzaga, Nieves Rosento, Rafael Ortega, Jr., at Al Shariff Ibba gayundin si Puerto Princesa City Vice Mayor Nancy Socrates, mga Department Heads at kawani ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan at kinatawan mula sa education sector, tourism, culture and arts, foreign affairs, ilang kamag-anak ng mga dating gobernador na nanirahan sa naturang gusali at mga kamag-anak ng Palawan historian and book author na si G. Manlavi.

Sinimulan ang unang bahagi ng aktibidad sa pagbabasbas ng restored governor’s residence sa pamamagitan ni Most Rev. Socrates C. Mesiona at nagsagawa rin ng tour o pag-iikot sa loob ng gusali ang mga nakibahagi sa pagdiriwang. Sinundan ito ng isang programa kung saan isinagawa ang Unveiling of Development Plans for the Restored Governor’s Residence bilang Museo Palaweño at launching ng libro na History of Palawan. Pagkatapos nito ay nagbigay ng mensahe sina Most Rev. Mesiona, Bise-Gob. Ola at Gob. Socrates.

“I just want to share the appreciation and joy na na-restore ang ating governor’s residence. Very important po ito to remind us of our past at ngayon din po we have the launching of History of Palawan Book. I noticed a lot of people outside of Palawan are coming in to stay for good. It is important that they will know the history of Palawan for them to really integrate the province because it’s very important sa buhay natin to know our past, to know where we came from. I’m very happy that our provincial government is really trying to give emphasis na gawin itong museo so we can also have something to learn from the past…Maganda ito para sa ating province na meron tayong ganitong museo na mapupuntahan hindi lamang for the tourists to come but also for our own people lalo na sa mga kabataan na they know the history of Palawan and Palaweños,” ani Most. Rev. Mesiona.

Nagpasalamat naman si Bise-Gob. Ola sa Pamahalaang Panlalawigan lalo na kay Gob. Socrates na gumawa ng paraan upang muling maisaayos at buhayin ang governor’s residence. Hindi niya umano akalain na muling babalik sa dati nitong ganda ang lumang gusali na naging tahanan ng mga gobernador sa lalawigan.

Sa naging mensahe ng gobernador ay ibinahagi niya na maaaring ilan lamang sila ng kanyang kapatid na si City Vice Mayor Socrates sa mga pinakamatagal na nanirahan at maraming naging alaala sa gusali noong naging gobernador ang kanilang ama na si dating Gob. Salvador ‘Badong’ P. Socrates.

“The governor’s residence happens to be a symbol also of our unity, of our identity as a community of Palaweños. Ito po ay isa sa mga sagisag ng ating pagkakaisa bilang sambayanang Palaweño. Kaya sinikap natin na kahit na meron pang dapat gawin, at least ang main building ay patapos na, ay mabasbasan sa loob ng pagdiriwang ng ika-apat na raang taon ng Kristiyanismo sa Palawan which is also the quadricentennial of our existence as a community…kaya ika-apat na raang taon din nating pag-iral bilang isang sambayanang Palaweño ang ating ipinagdiriwang.”

Pinasalamatan din ng gobernador ang lahat ng tumulong para maisakatuparan ang restoration ng gusali partikular ang Provincial Engineering Office (PEO), Provincial General Services Office (PGSO), OHP Construction and Development Corporation at si G. Jose Bustamante na eksperto sa restoration ng mga lumang gusali.

Samantala, sa isinagawang book launching ay ibinahagi naman ni Ms. Evelyn Manlavi-Opeda ang mga nagawa ng kanyang ama bilang isang manunulat noong ito ay nabubuhay pa gayundin ang kahilingan ni Gob. Socrates sa kanilang pamilya na muling ilimbag para sa publiko ang librong History of Palawan.

“In all humility and profound gratitude, I gave my consent for this laudable endeavour and agreed with the Provincial Government of Palawan that this book will be part and I quote, ‘as our official token of appreciation for visiting dignitaries, ambassadors, heads of various agencies and the like, and selected local libraries in Palawan for ready reference of the students and researchers and the republished book will not be sold to anyone but will be given by the Provincial Government of Palawan for free’. I know that my father is watching us right now and he is delighted by the governor’s gesture. My father’s painstaking and exhaustive researches of the facts and figures from the Tabon Cave, legends, poems and poetry, riddles, statistics and up to his prophetic visions beyond 1970 when this book was first published led to this remarkable work which is his legacy for the Palaweños.”