Secretary Salvador Panelo, chief legal counsel of President Rodrigo Duterte, will be the guest of honor and speaker at the 83rd Charter Day of Bacolod City on Friday, June 18.
“We are happy that even at this time of the pandemic, Secretary Panelo graciously accepted our invitation to come to Bacolod and celebrate our Charter Day with us. He is an important link in keeping our communication lines with the national government open during these difficult times”, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said.
Leonardia said this is the third 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 in 2019, after President Duterte signed Republic Act 11146 or the new “Bacolod City Charter Day Act,” which also declared June 18 of every year as a non-working holiday in the City.
The Charter Day celebration is one of the major activities of the “Mga Adlaw Sang Paghanduraw,” the city’s annual commemoration of history, art and culture, from June 12 to 20 as provided in City Ordinance No. 616, a press release from the Bacolod Public Information Office said.
The June 18 ceremonies, which will be held at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) lobby, will begin with a mass at 1:30 p.m.
The program proper will start at 5 p.m. with Councilor Renecito Novero as master of ceremony.
The opening prayer will be led by Councilor Ayesha Joy Villaflor, president of Sangguniang Kabataan Federation.
It will be followed by the singing of the national anthem to be led by the Bacolod City College Duet.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran will then deliver a welcome message, to be followed by a production number by the MassKara Festival dancers.
City Administrator Em Ang will lead the acknowledgment of guests during the program.
Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya will deliver an inspirational message to be followed by Leonardia with his Charter Day message.
Panelo will give his keynote speech after an introduction by Councilor Israel Salanga.
A video tribute entitled “Bacolod City: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow” will also be shown at the program.
Other Charter Day activities will include photo exhibits at various locations in the City with ribbon-cutting to be attended to by Councilor Simple Distrito at Robinsons Place Bacolod, Councilor Salanga at Ayala Malls Capitol Central, and Councilor Cindy Rojas at SM City Bacolod.*