The Bacolod City government will celebrate its 82nd Charter Day on Thursday (June 18) with a simple ceremony, in the light of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said yesterday.
Leonardia, in Executive Order No. 40 series of 2020, said, “In the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, the celebration of the 82nd Charter Day shall still be very special but it will be subject to the health protocols issued by the Department of Health and the guidelines set by the national government.”
The mayor, said that in a press release, this is now the second year that the City is celebrating its Charter Day on June 18, after it had celebrated the occasion every October 19 in the past 80 years.
Bacolod held its first June 18 Charter Day anniversary celebration last year, after President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11146, or the new “Bacolod City Charter Day Act”.
In the same executive order, the mayor also created the Support Committee for the 82nd Bacolod City Charter Day.
The committee is chaired by the mayor, with Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran as senior co-chairman, Councilor Archie Baribar as co-chairman, and City Administrator EmAng and Secretary to the Mayor Edward Joseph Cuansing as executive directors.
The Charter Day celebration is one of the major activities of the “MgaAdlaw Sang Paghanduraw”, the city’s annual commemoration of history, art and culture, from June 12-20 as provided for in City Ordinance No. 616.
The Charter Day rites will start with a mass at 1:30 p.m., to be followed by a program at 3 p.m. at the Bacolod City Government Center lobby.
Rep. Greg Gasataya will deliver an inspirational message, and Leonardia will give his Charter Day message.
Leonardia will also honor outstanding individuals, who are this year’s Mayor’s Special Citation awardees.
The guest of honor and speaker is Dr. Dolores Rommela Tiples-Ruiz, a fellow of the Philippine College of Physicians and the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, the press release said.
Tiplies-Ruiz had worked as Infectious Disease Physician in Botswana, Southern Africa, and Saudi Arabia. She was also a member of the National Rapid Response Team Ebola Preparedness Program of the Botswana Ministry of Health.
Tiples-Ruiz is a consultant on infection control in Bacolod and Silay cities, and president of Pula Negros-HIV Advocacy Group of the Philippine College of Physicians and the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.
June 18 is a special non-working public holiday in Bacolod City, the press releases added.*
BY RENE GENOVE
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