House Bill No. 5875 that seeks to declare June 18 of every year a special non-working public holiday known as “Bacolod City Charter Day” was approved on second reading last week.
Bacolod City Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya said Friday that the bill is set to be endorsed for third reading within a week.
Gasataya filed the bill on June 13, 2017 upon Mayor Evelio Leonardia’s request.
The proposed legislation amends Republic Act (RA) No. 7724 that set a wrong date for the celebration of the Charter Day of Bacolod.
Leonardia said President Manuel L. Quezon signed Commonwealth Act No. 326 creating Bacolod as a city on June 18.
He said RA 7724 created the legally unfounded belief that the Charter Day is on October 19.
The mayor pointed out that they gathered a background that October 19 was the inauguration of then mayor Alfredo Montelibano Sr.
“When he was inaugurated October 19, 1938, the following year (they) celebrated the Charter Day on October 19 and so on and so forth,” Leonardia said.
“All of us who came after were made to believe that was the birthday of Bacolod, but now we believe that it is so clear that it should be June 18,” he said.
If it will be passed on third reading, Gasataya said it will be forwarded to the Senate and he will follow it up with the committee in-charge to ensure its implementation.
He said he is hopeful that it will be approved on third reading before June 18.
The City Government had earlier launched a year-long celebration of Bacolod’s 80th anniversary.
Leonardia issued Executive Order No. 1 for the creation of the organizing committee to steer and manage the city’s 80th anniversary celebration.