by Michael Vincent D. Cajulao
ZAMBOANGA CITY – “Did you know that the scouting movement in the country started in the City of Zamboanga?” Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco Salazar blurted during the recently held Independence Day celebration.
The Boys Scouts will be coming back where it started 100 years ago, as the city will host the Centennial Jamboree come Nov. 9-13 inside Zamboanga Ecozone in Barangay Talisayan, west of the city.
“Zamboanga will be playing an important role as she will host the Philippines Scouting Centennial Jamboree from Nov. 9-13,” Climaco-Salazar declared.
Mayor Climaco-Salazar said it was during the American occupation in 1914 that Mrs. Caroline Spencer took care of 26 Muslim boys who were wandering aimlessly. With the assistance of Lt. Sherman L. Kiser, they organized the boys into a troop called the Lorillard Spencer Troop that gave birth to the scouting movement in the Republic of the Philippines.
“Let us show our visitors and let us prepare for this very big event in our history, and let us all together build back a better Zamboanga,” the lady chief executive said.
BSP-Zamboanga City Scout Executive Arthur Griño said at least 5,000 scouts from all over the country are expected to come to the city for the jamboree. No less than Vice President Jejomar Binay, the BSP National President, will be the guest of honor.