Bacolod City to celebrate ‘correct’ Charter Day on June 18

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  — Bacolod City will celebrate its first “correct” Charter Day on June 18 after President Rodrigo Duterte signed last year Republic Act No. 11146 which pegged Bacolod City’s Charter Day at June 18 instead of October 19.

“This is the first June 18 Charter Day celebration of Bacolod. For the past 80 years, it was celebrated every October 19. But starting this year, it will be celebrated every June 18,” Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said.

“After 80 years, we will now have our history in proper order,” the mayor added.

Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya filed House Bill 7044 on June 13, 2017, on the request of Leonardia, to correct Republic Act 7724 that erroneously set October 19 as the date for the celebration of the Charter Day of Bacolod City.

Gasataya said the amended bill was filed after the discovery that the City’s Charter was actually signed on June 18, 1938.

The new law, RA 11146, was approved by Duterte on Nov. 9, 2018. It commemorates the day when then President Manuel L. Quezon signed and approved into effect Commonwealth Act 326 that created the City of Bacolod.

RA 11146 also provides that the inauguration of the City of Bacolod will be commemorated every Oct. 19, and that the highlights of the Maskara Festival will be held on the fourth Sunday of October.

Leonardia thanked Gasataya for pursuing the bill which corrects the erroneous date of Bacolod City’s Charter Day. (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)