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BY MAE SINGUAY
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February 18, 2018
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BACOLOD City – Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr.’s position paper regarding the bill that seeks to change the date of the Bacolod City Charter Day “has no bearing.”
House Bill (HB) No. 5875 aims to declare June 18 of every year as the Bacolod City Charter Day, making it a special nonworking holiday in Negros Occidental’s capital city.
Gamboa, chairman of the city’s committee on history, culture and arts, said the position paper expressed his “relative stand” on HB No. 5875.
The city council noted Gamboa’s position paper on Feb. 14.
According to Gamboa, he consulted Rene Escalante, chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), regarding Bacolod’s cityhood.
Citing the NHCP, Gamboa said in the paper that Commonwealth Act 326 – which officially turned Bacolod into a city – was enacted on June 18, 1938.
But Gamboa added that Bacolod came into “corporate existence” when then president Manuel Quezon inaugurated the city on Oct. 19, 1938 during a “foundational rites.”
The “foundational rites” was joined by Bacolodnons – the reason that Oct. 19 was celebrated as the city’s Charter/Foundation Day, Gamboa said.
The NHCP also mentioned Republic Act (RA) 7724, which declares Oct. 19 of every year as the Bacolod City Charter Day.
RA 7724 was passed on May 19, 1994 and was signed by former president Fidel Ramos.
According to Familiaran, Gamboa’s position paper must be passed before the Congress, not the city council.
The House of Representatives on its third and final reading has approved HB No. 5875 on Feb. 14.
The bill is now pending Senate’s approval.
Bill proponent Rep. Greg Gasataya said RA 7724 was only enacted “for the purpose of having the Charter Day coincide with the (sic)MassKara Festival.”
Earlier, former mayor MonicoPuentevella said he wants the non-passage of HB No. 5875, also citing NHCP./PN
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