CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan—Bulakenyos on Saturday hailed the signing of President Rodrigo Duterte into law Republic Act No. 11014 declaring January 23 every year as a special working holiday in the entire country to commemorate the declaration of the First Philippine Republic on January 23, 1899 held at the Barasoain Church here.
City Mayor Christian Natividad said Saturday that after more than a hundred years, due recognition was finally accorded to the historic proclamation the country’s first republic.
“Finally, after 119 years of neglect, a President, a Senate and a Congress give justice and glory to Asia’s first republic. The sacredness of the first Philippine Republic now has its share in the history of the Filipino people that benefits the current and future Filipino generations, Natividad said.
Recognition for the importance of the proclamation for the Malolos Republic is long overdue, said Alex Balagtas, curator of Museo ni Marcelo H. del Pilar and head of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines Bulacan-Zambales chapter.
Republic Act No. 11014 was signed into law Thursday, April 5.
“One hundred and nineteen years is long enough for us to officially recognize the birth of our nation,” Balagtas said.
He noted that “it hurts that while Chinese New Year and other Muslim religious commemorations are declared as ‘non-working holiday,’ our birth as a nation is being compromised. But now, the dreams of the people of Malolos have finally came true."
For his part, Governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado is thankful that the national significance of the First Philippine Republic was finally recognized, as he noted that ‘it was on this date that the Philippines was acknowledged as an independent nation by the international community.’
“It was on that very day, January 23, 1899 when our people and country was recognized by the international community as a free republic and until now continues to gain the respect and admiration of foreign dignitaries, world leaders and even the Pope,” Alvarado said.
January 23 is currently a special non-working holiday only in Bulacan. With the new law, It would be a national holiday equal to the June 12 commemoration of Philippine Independence Day. (PNA)
