#WalangPasok – August 6 2016 declared a holiday in Cebu
The province of Cebu will be celebrating its 447th foundation anniversary this coming August 6, Saturday.
August 6 of every year is a special non-working public holiday throughout Cebu as stipulated by Republic Act 8952. The law was enacted in 2000 during the administration of then-President Joseph Estrada.
The day is also a holiday in Cebu City and Mandaue City as well as in Lapulapu, Danao, and Toledo. The full text of RA 8952 can be read in this link.
Interestingly, Cebuanos had been celebrating August 6 as their province’s foundation day since 1993 – or years before RA 8952 was enacted. At that time, Cebu’s provincial council stressed that King Philip II’s appointment of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi as governor of Cebu on August 6, 1569 “marked the foundation, although loosely, of a province of Cebu.” It must be remembered that the Philippines was named after King Philip II.
Because of its huge population, Cebu has always played a critical role during presidential elections. In fact, the candidate that won in the province ultimately won the presidency in five of the six presidential elections since 1986.
Cebu is particularly credited for providing the winning margin for Fidel Ramos in 1992 and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2004. Both elections were marred in controversy because the vote difference between the top contenders was very close.
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