Sunshine City celebrates 48th Charter Day

LAOAG CITY, June 19 — Laoag’s 48th charter day anniversary today was marked as regular working day while celebrations were low-key that included a flag raising ceremony and thanksgiving mass.

Unlike in the past, this year’s city charter day was a regular working day after the city government failed to seek an executive order from Malacañang declaring it as special non-working holiday.

City Administrator Cipriano Hilarion Martinez III said that the city officials were not able to send a request for declaration from Malacañang because they were saddled with work during the previous months that included the just-concluded mid-term elections.

“We are looking into a possibility to institutionalize the Laoag City charter day as a permanent special non-working holiday by way of legislation in Congress,” Martinez said.

City Councilor Joseph Tamayo said that the celebration of the Laoag charter day will give fresh hopes for the city’s further development.

Laoag City is the second oldest city in the Ilocos region next to Dagupan City in Pangasinan.

Laoag was established as a town in 1585, becoming the first parish and first town in the northern portion of the old Ilocos previously composed of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union.

On June 19, 1965, Laoag became a city by virtue of Republic Act No. 4584. The city is the capital of Ilocos Norte. (Freddie G. Lazaro)