Press Release
February 19, 2016

2nd Las Pinas-Zapote River Festival held

The 2nd Las Pinas-Zapote River Festival was held today coinciding with the inauguration of the Zapote River Drive and the unveiling of the National Marker at the Molino Dam by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts.

Sen. Cynthia Villar, Sen. Loren Legarda, Las Pinas Rep. Mark Villar, and the Department of Public Works and Highways led the road inauguration drive aboard an e-jeep.

The festivities kicked off with a drum and lyre parade and street competition participated in by eight groups, namely, Almanza Elementary School, Almanza Elementary School- TS Cruz Annex, Talon Elementary School- Manuyo Elementary School, Zapote Elementary School, Las Pinas Elementary School, Pamplona Elementary School- Unit 1, and CAA Elementary School.

A 3K fun run will also be held on February 20 on the newly-inaugurated Zapote River Drive starting at Zapote Bridge and ending at the Molino Dam participated in by 500 runners coming from Las Pinas, Batangas, Cavite, Bulacan, Quezon City, Antipolo, Rizal, Manila, Pampanga, Paranaque, Laguna, and Taguig. Top 10 runners will get P5,000 each and a finisher's medal.

"It is always a source of pride to have in our midst a historical landmark that should be maintained and celebrated to teach the younger generation about our history," Sen. Cynthia Villar said.

The Molino Dam was built by hand in 1882 by San Ezekiel Moreno, then parish priest of Las Pinas. It was built in the upper Zapote River Line to serve as source of irrigation for the rice fields in Las Pinas and nearby town of Bacoor in Cavite. The dam served to separate the salt water coming from Manila Bay into the freshwater upstream.

For 100 years, the dam helped the agriculture in the city as well as source of water for domestic needs. "Rice fields can no longer be found in Las Pinas, but the Molino Dam stands as a historic testament to the engineering prowess of the 18th and 19th century residents of Las Pinas," Villar said.

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