CAGAYAN FREEPORT – More than 4,000 people joined the beat as the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) celebrated its first music festival on October 19, in the open grounds, at Barangay Centro, in Santa Ana, Cagayan.“The first-ever music festival hosted by CEZA was a great success,” said Secretary Raul L. Lambino, CEZA administrator, and chief executive officer.The music festival was also held in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the town of Santa Ana, Cagayan on October 21.

Sta. Ana Mayor Nelson Robinion said the event was not only a celebration of the town’s anniversary but also of the readiness of the people of Cagayan Valley to contribute to national development.

The festival began at around 7 p.m. Saturday with 15 local bands rocking and serenading more than 4,000 people who joined the celebration.

The CCA band of University of Saint Louis Tuguegarao went home with the grand prize of P30,000 while Food Trip Wednesday won the second prize of P25,000 and Madre Salvacion finished third with P20,000.

All the other participating bands went home with a consolation prize of P10,000.

The event was kicked off by a performance of the Phyro Dynamics, a team of skilled fire and aerial artists based in Pampanga, specializing in fire and pyro performance.

Lambino said Santa Ana, Cagayan province and the entire Cagayan valley region can expect more events that will promote the region as a hub of investment, tourism, sports, and local artistry through “battle of the bands” and filmmaking competitions, among others.

The zone, which is located in Sta. Ana was established by then-Senator Juan Ponce Enrile through Republic Act No. 7922 otherwise known as the Cagayan Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, mandated to run by CEZA.

“CEZA has played a crucial role in driving Cagayan Valley region’s economic growth and continues to contribute to the country’s economic future,” Sec. Lambino said, thanking the music festival’s sponsors who are now top of the mind in region’s 3.2 million consumers.

Prior to the Saturday event, CEZA also hosted a popular competition, like the Flair Bartending contest in Tuguegarao on October 18.

CEZA thanked its major sponsors, such as Tanduay Distillers, and CEZA locators’ First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corporation, Eastern Hawaii Leisure Company Limited, Party Management Corp., Pulsar Construction, Agbiag Mining and Development Services, Inc., CEZA Harbor Pilot, Underground Battle MMA, and Mayor Florence Pascual of Lal-lo.