MANDAUE CITY, Philippines – The renaming of the Kabayo Festival to the Governor's Cup 2008 surprised a Mandaue City government official on Sunday.Lowella Caballero, chief of staff of the office of Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, said the Cebu Equine Owners, Breeders, Sportsmen Association (Ceobsa), the event's organizer, earlier told them that it would be named as the Mayor's Cup.
“As far as we know, the letter request of the Ceobsa said they will be having or naming it (festival) as the Mayor's Cup. I hope they will continue with what they said,” Caballero said. “They have given us a long list of what they needed and we have committed to provide them with what they needed,” she added. The Mandaue City government has not only committed to provide the venue for the event but also to prepare the racetracks, and provide manpower and equipment related to the event. The resources from the Mandaue City Engineer's Office will be used to renovate portions of the Mandaue Reclamation Area near the Boardwalk project as the racetrack for the competition and parade on February 15. Despite the change of the event's name to Governor’s Cup 2008, Caballero said Mayor Cortes ordered her to continue providing all the needs of the Ceobsa. The chief of staff also said that a “Western Style” opening dinner will be sponsored by the city government. “It will be just like in a cowboy movie, it's a western motif,” Caballero said. “I think the mayor is trying to learn to ride a horse now because he will be required to ride a horse at the opening ceremony,” she said. The Capitol is donating P200,000 assistance to the festival. Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who had adopted the Kabayo Festival and renamed it as the Governor’s Cup 2008, said she was just continuing her father's assistance to the festival. On the name change, she said maybe the organizers accepted the Capitol's proposal. “That must have arrived after series of meetings,” she said. She said the event was usually named after a chief executive. She said that there was a time when the festival was named after the official who gave financial assistance to the organizers of the festival, such as former mayor Thadeo Ouano and herself. She said this year, the organizers even suggested naming the festival as “Kabayo Festival and Gov. Gwen Garcia and Mayor Jonas Cortes Horseshoe Competition and Trade Exhibits.” Garcia denied that the renaming of the festival had any connection to reports that she is seeking a national position, like the vice presidency, in 2010.
Anton Quisumbing, Ceobsa director, said the event will be held from February 15 to 17. He said the group also had no problem being a partner with Cebu province or worry that the event will be used to promote political careers. He said the Ceobsa has always been apolitical and the group was determined to hold the competition every year with or without a politician's help. The group expects at least 80 participants, including those coming from Masbate; Ormoc; Davao; Malaybalay, Bukidnon; and Luzon. /Reporter Dale G. Israel and Chief of Reporters Suzzane Salva-Alueta | 
