Former Oro News Anchor launches book on the "City of Gold"
Mike Banos
October 22, 2010
Former TV news anchor Ann Gorra has launched a book in Canada about the people who have made Cagayan de Oro what it is today.
The author was born in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and moved with her family to Cagayan de Oro when she was two. She studied mass communication in Silliman University and then worked with Newscope TV 12 as one of its co-anchors. Raf Benaldo, formerly of DILG and father of 1st District Rep. Benjo was producer and co-anchor.
"I would say that he paved the way for local TV news in the city," Ann recalls.
Ann emigrated to North America in 1989 and now lives with her husband in Vancouver, Canada. However, regularly visits the city of her childhood and keeps in touch with many Kagay-anons living in the Philippines and around the world.
Besides her stint with Newscope, Ann has also written articles about Filipino-Canadians for the Philippine Daily Inquirer in Manila, the BC Christian News and Filipinas, a magazine based in Daly City, California.
Anne says CITY OF GOLD presents a view of Cagayan de Oro´s history through the stories of people who have made the place their home. There´s the young girl who witnessed the Bataan Death March and later emerged as one of Cagayan de Oro´s most influential women; the trader who fled war-torn Jolo, settled in the city and became a successful shirt designer; the inventor of the ubiquitous motorela; ´Lady Love,´ the first female DJ of the city´s first FM radio; and many others.
"Cagayan de Oro is no ordinary city because of these extraordinary people," says Gorra, who says interest ´back home´ in her book is high.
"I came up with the book because I truly believe that it's time to tell the stories of Kagay-anons," she wrote in an email to this author. "We hear so much about stories of Americans, Canadians and Europeans but we don't hear much about the people in our own city. The stories we tell help form our identity."
"CITY OF GOLD is truly an enjoyable read," says Irene Yatco, publisher and editor of the Philippine Journal. "[It] gives a vivid picture of the uniqueness of Cagayan de Oro as well as an intimate look into the personal lives of the prominent Kagay-anons who shaped the CITY OF GOLD."
"It's a challenge to make a book about Cagayan de Oro when you live a continent away," Ann muses. "I came up with a small volume but I am hoping it would evolve into something bigger in the future. I hope that at the time, I would be able to get writers in Cagayan de Oro who will be willing to join me in future book projects, God willing."
CITY OF GOLD is now on sale at amazon.com and other online locations.