Charter Day of the City of Bacolod

75 years ago, on October 19, 1938, President Manuel Quezon declared the town of Bacolod a City, becoming the Fifth city of the Republic of the Philippines.—Hon. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Bacolod City Councilor and Co-Chair of Bacolod Charter Anniversary

Finally, the National Historical Commission (NHC) put an end on the legal dispute on the correct day for the celebration of Bacolod City’s Charter celebration.

Here’s an online article, “NHC rules: Bacolod Charter Day is Oct 19, not June 18,” by Danny B. Dangcalan of The Freeman posted last February 5, 2013.

The legally correct date for celebrating the Charter Day of the City of Bacolod is October 19, which had been so for 72 years, not June 18 as what Mayor Evelio Leonardia had ordered two years ago, the National Historical Commission (NHC) said.

Based on the document dated Jan. 9, 2013, NHC chairperson Dr. Maria Serena Diokno wrote Golez that the Commission holds that the City of Bacolod started its “corporate existence” on October 19, 1938 thus it should celebrate its Charter Day every Oct. 19.

The NHC added that for 72 years, the city’s celebration of its Charter Day every Oct. 19 have “already acquired the character of custom and tradition” which the commission finds no compelling reason to set aside.

In 2011, Leonardia issued an executive order effectively moving the date of Charter Day to June 18. His position was that the date June 18, 1938 was the proper Charter Day, because it was when former President Manuel Quezon approved Commonwealth Act No. 326 or the Charter Day of Bacolod.

Leonardia’s stand was supported by the Provincial Board, which issued Ordinance No. 588 on May 2, 2012, commemorating June 18 every year as the date of the signing of the Charter day of the City of Bacolod.

The NHC said the issue between June 18 and Oct. 19 on the correct date of Bacolod Charter Day was already resolved by Congress when it enacted Republic Act No. 7724 on May 19, 1994, declaring Oct. 19 of every year as a special non-working public holiday in the city to be known as Bacolod City Charter Day.

“Oct. 19 is the lawful Charter Day, that being the date when President Manuel Quezon went to Bacolod City for its formal inauguration as a chartered city, highlighted by the assumption to office of Alfredo Montelibano as the first appointed mayor,” the NHC said.

Diokno has reportedly “certified” that Commonwealth Act No. 326 was signed on June 18, 1938. But the NHC further asserted that the date of signing of that law is distinct from the beginning of the corporate existence of Bacolod City.

“Given the provisions of Commonwealth Act No. 326, therefore, it cannot be said that Bacolod City came into being simultaneously with the approval of its charter on June 18, 1938,” the NHC said. “This Commission finds no irreconcilable conflict between Commonwealth Act No. 326, Commonwealth Act No. 404 and Republic Act No. 7160 on the beginning of the corporate existence of Bacolod City,” it added.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/region/2013/02/05/905079/nhc-rules-bacolod-charter-day-oct-19-not-june-18