THE City Government of Bacolod is still waiting for the response of President Rodrigo Duterte on their request to declare June 18 as a special non-working holiday in the city.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia said yesterday, June 14, he will consult with Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran if the city's approved resolution was already received by the office of President Duterte.
Leonardia said the proposed legislation, which seeks to declare June 18 of every year as a special non-working public holiday in Bacolod, authored by Representative Greg Gasayata, is still pending at the Senate, but it was already approved on second reading last month.
While waiting for its final approval, the City Council had earlier approved a resolution requesting President Duterte to declare June 18 as a special non-working holiday.
This is in commemoration of the signing of Commonwealth Act 326, also known as the Charter of the City of Bacolod, in line with the year-long celebration of the 80th Anniversary of Bacolod.
The resolution was authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairperson of the City Council Committee on Laws.
Distrito said on June 18, 1938, President Manuel L. Quezon signed Commonwealth Act 326 that created the City of Bacolod.
He said such event is significant to the Bacolodnons that the City Government has prepared activities to commemorate and give importance on the date by virtue of City Ordinance 588, entitled "an ordinance commemorating every June 18 and every year thereafter as the date of the signing into law of Commonwealth Act No. 326 otherwise known as "the Charter of Bacolod City."
Distrito added that on its 80th celebration, it is fitting that June 18 should be declared a special non-working holiday in order to instill to the residents of Bacolod, particularly its youth, that the City of Bacolod was indeed created on June 18, 1938. (MAP)