Bacolod City celebrates history, culture to mark 85th year

BACOLOD City – This capital city of Negros Occidental will mark its 85th Charter Day on June 18 with week-long activities dubbed “Mga Adlaw Sang Paghanduraw” (Days of Reminiscence).

The celebrations will start with the 125th Philippine Independence on June 12, the city government said on Tuesday.

The “Mga Adlaw Sang Paghanduraw” is the city’s annual commemoration of its history, art, and culture, as provided under City Ordinance No. 616.

This year’s event, themed “Bacolod Itib-ong: Asenso Sang Siudad, Asenso Naton Tanan,” returns four years after it was first celebrated in 2019, then halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Previously, the city marked the occasion every Oct. 19.

Bacolod held its first June 18 Charter Day celebration in 2019 after former president Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11146 or the new Bacolod City Charter Day Act.

June 18 is also a special non-working holiday in the city.

On June 12, the “Mga Adlaw Sang Paghanduraw” will start with the Independence Day celebration at the Bacolod plaza in the morning, featuring a military parade, flag-raising ceremony, wreath laying at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, and gun salute.

The countdown to the 85th Charter Day will be held on the evening of June 17 at the Bacolod Government Center.

The activities will include the drum, lyre and bugle corps competition, barangay festival dance competition, and fireworks display.

On Charter Day itself, the day will start with a civic parade and will be capped by a program at the L’Fisher Hotel in the evening.

The city government will also take part in the celebration of the 162nd birth anniversary of national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, with a wreath-laying ceremony at Rizal Elementary School on June 19. (PNA)