Bacolod ordinance proposes war veterans’ memorial monument

BACOLOD CITY — The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod passed on first reading an ordinance proposing the construction of a memorial monument honoring deceased war veterans from Bacolod City.

The ordinance, authored by Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., was introduced during the SP’s regular session on July 24, 2025.

It seeks to honor Bacolod’s war veterans by establishing a monument and allocating appropriate funding for its construction.

Gamboa, who chairs the SP Committee on History and Veterans Affairs, said the measure is rooted in the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, which promotes the preservation and recognition of cultural and historical legacies.

The proposed War Veterans’ Memorial Monument will be part of Bacolod’s tangible cultural heritage — a symbol of love, service, and sacrifice for the nation.

Gamboa said the ordinance is also guided by his 2016 ordinance on the protection and conservation of Bacolod City’s cultural properties, historical markers, monuments, and shrines.

He also cited a related measure he proposed, which aims to create a task force for preserving historical and cultural buildings and structures in the city, including provisions for incentives and penalties.

The proposed ordinance — titled “War Veterans’ Memorial Monument Ordinance” — seeks to pay tribute to the heroism and sacrifices of Bacolod’s deceased war veterans and to inspire the youth to emulate their example.

Under the ordinance, the city government will identify a historically significant site for the monument, which will bear the names and acts of service of Bacolod’s fallen veterans.

It applies exclusively to deceased war veterans who were residents of Bacolod City, as certified by their barangay and supported by birth and/or death certificates.

Eligible veterans must have served in the Philippine military during World War II, the Korean conflict, or local and national campaigns against terrorist groups such as the Marawi siege.

The ordinance also directs the city mayor to request official confirmation of the veterans’ service records from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

It includes verification for Bacolod residents listed in the United States War Memorial for World War II veterans.

Gamboa said the monument would not only honor the bravery of war veterans but also serve to instill patriotism among Bacolodnons — in both wartime and peace.