AS A long-time resident of our beloved Cagayan de Oro City, many of us don’t know the real significance of the day, June 15. We always recall that day as a local holiday, it’s either no classes for students or non-working holiday for some employees and simply known the “Charter Day”. But that remarkable day 67 years ago, plays the most important role in our city and the main reason of the privilege we are given at this moment.
On June 15, 1950, the late President Elpidio Quirino signed the republic Act no. 521 which granted the status of today’s Cagayan de Oro City as “Chartered City” from its previous name Municipality of Cagayan de Misamis. That made possible on the effort of the late congressman Emmanuel Pelaez and other various local official at that time.
To be granted as Chartered City it means that the local official has given more authority in governing the City. Like enacting their own ordinances, taxation and rules of governance. Chartered City are no longer reporting on the provincial government and directly to the National Government.
To be a city as early as 1950 plays an important factor on the progress we felt as of the present. Because of the remarkable day, Cagayan De Oro City was labeled in different progress names and not only as the City of Golden Friendship. It was named as the melting pot of Mindanao or the gateway to Mindanao because of its accessibility and continuous progress every now and then. The business hub of Mindanao due to various National Corporation and government institution that are most located here.
Cagayan de Oro City is always included on the top ten riches cities outside Metro Manila. The economy of the City mostly comes from commerce, industry, trade, and tourism that contributed more funds in our national government comparing to our Cities in the country, that we can always be proud as a resident. No doubt our City was nominated and became most competitive City a few years ago.
Staying in a developed city has also lots of consequences like traffic, high cost of living and society pressure, even the green nature that needs to be preserve turn to be a nature of concrete. But the good thing of staying in the City life, we are also updated and enjoy the new offers like technology and more jobs to choose.
We don’t actually really need to go to other places to find the opportunities. Our city already provided it, we just really need to maximize and be part of the privilege given to us.
rFor comments and topic suggestions you may email me at jrj_moto@yahoo.com