ILOILO City – This southern metropolis become a city 132 years ago today, or on Oct. 5, 1889.
This was highlighted in Regulation Ordinance No. 2020-097 authored by Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon declaring Oct. 5 as “Adlaw sang Ciudad de Iloilo.”
“Ciudad de Iloilo” is the Spanish translation of “Dakbanwa sang Iloilo”, the name given to Iloilo City when it was created.
Ganzon cited “Gaceta de Manila”, the official publication of the Spanish Colonial Government of the Philippines, which documented that it was on Oct. 5, 1889, by virtue of a Royal Decree, Queen Regent Maria Cristina of Spain, that bestowed upon the then Municipality of Iloilo the title of “City”.
“(I)t is an established historical practice to reckon the birth of a government unit on the date it was FIRST created, which in the case of Iloilo City was on October 5, 1889,” the ordinance read.
The ordinance further cited that on Nov. 12, 1889, the Ministry of Overseas Colonies in Madrid, approved the Becera Law of 1889, promulgating the cityhood of Iloilo.
This was followed by a solemn and joyous celebration headed by then Governor-General Valeriano Weyler by holding the first inauguration of “Ciudad de Iloilo” on Jan. 7, 1890.
This further cemented Iloilo’s status as a city, and gave way to the creation of the “Ayuntamiento” or “City Council of Iloilo.”
However, historically, the revolution against Spain and the Philippine-American War brought heavy damage to the country’s economy, and, subsequently, that of the City of Iloilo which, in 1903, prompted the government under the American regime, for purpose of efficient and economical governance, to revert the government of Iloilo to the status of a municipality.
Moreover, records from the Philippine Congress showed that in 1936, Commonwealth Act No. 57 was passed, and was later amended by Commonwealth Act No. 158, which reestablished and regained the cityhood status of Iloilo and identified the city’s territorial jurisdiction, which then led to an inaugural celebration on Aug. 25, 1937.
Meanwhile, through Executive Order No. 005-A-2010 issued on July 20, 2010 of then Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilo, Aug. 25 was declared as “Charter Day of Iloilo” and as special non-working holiday for the Iloilo City government.
Ganzon did a thorough research regarding history and even consulted former Iloilo vice governor Demetrio “Demy” Sonza.
Sonza was a member of the Philippine Historical Organization and Board of Directors of the Philippines National Historical Society. He was also an Outstanding Ilonggo Awardee in Historical Writing, a published historical writer and an esteemed member of the media.
Sonza confirmed that the information cited in the ordinance had been cleared as “historically time and authentic”.
“We have to be true to history,” Ganzon emphasized.
The vice mayor stressed that “the significant recognition of our cityhood from the day of its birth, as historically documented, instills in us a sense of pride and belongingness.”
On Oct. 5, 2011, Ganzon also filed a resolution recognizing Oct. 5 as “Adlaw Sang Ciudad de Iloilo.”
This time, Ganzon was elated that this is already an ordinance.
Under the ordinance, all government agencies in Iloilo City, including public and private schools, colleges, universities, non-government organizations, and business and industrial establishments, as well as religious groups are enjoined to participate in the celebration./PN
