February 21, 1920: Gov-Gen Francis Burton Harrison signed Executive Order No.12 establishing Marinduque as a Province

"Quezon went to the town plaza of Boac and addressed a large crowd. He seemed very happy to be among his own people in Tagalog for about forty minutes. He had not been there for twenty years. He used many homely witticisms, which took well with the crowd. Made polite reference to my having signed in 1920 the law which made a separate province of Marinduque, until then a part of Tayabas (Quezon’s own province)..." - Diary of Francis Burton Harrison

Gov.Gen. FB Harrison and President Manuel L. Quezon. Marinduque visitors, too.

Act No. 2880 sponsored in the Lower House by elected representative Ricardo Paras of Marinduque and passed on January 21, 1920 was an Act authorizing the Governor-General (Francis Burton-Harrison) "to reestablish as an independent province, as soon as the public interest may require it, the former Province of Marinduque".

The full title and Sec.1&2 of Act 2880 are as follows:

"AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE SEPARATION OF THE SUBPROVINCE OF MARINDUQUE FROM THE PROVINCE OF TAYABAS AND THE REESTABLISHMENT OF THE FORMER PROVINCE OF MARINDUQUE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."

SECTION 1. The Governor-General is hereby authorized to reestablish as an independent province, as soon as the public interest may require it, the former Province of Marinduque, consolidated with that of Tayabas under Acts Numbered Four hundred and ninety-nine and Sixteen hundred and forty-nine.

SEC. 2. The Province of Marinduque so reestablished, shall have the same territory as before its consolidation with the Province of Tayabas, and its capital shall be the municipality of Boac.  The provisions of the Administrative Code, in so far as they are applicable to a regularly organized province; shall apply to the government and operation of said province and to the election and appointment of the officers thereof."

Executive Order No. 12 was then signed by American Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison on FEBRUARY 21, 1920, in accordance with Act No. 2880. This was therefore promulgated, or given the force of the law upon approval and signature of the Governor-General on the said date.

53 years later...

On January 11, 1973, by Order of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Proclamation No. 1099 was issued declaring FEBRUARY 23, 1973 as "MARINDUQUE PROCLAMATION DAY". It marked according to the said Proclamation "the 53rd anniversary of the establishment of Marinduque as an independent province; and whereas, to the residents of Marinduque the day is a milestone in their Province's history".

Proclamation No. 1099 declaring February 23, 1973, as "Marinduque Proclamation Day" 

It should be noted, however that more recently the NHCP Board resolved on March 27, 2017, "to adopt in all cases” the date of approval “as its foundation date instead of the charter’s date of effectivity” on the basis of the latter date being merely procedural”.

In 1995, the Marinduque Museum (National Museum Marinduque Branch), was opened on February 22. The choice of that date was definitely tied to the establishment of Marinduque as an independent province. At the back cover of the event's souvenir program was a text of the Executive Order (not currently available), signed by Harrison (therefore differently worded from Act. No. 2880).

"The Boac branch museum was formally opened to the public on February 22, 1995". From National Museum website.

In those years, English and Spanish were the official languages published in the Official Gazette weekly. Vol 1 No. 1 of the Official Gazette (Gaceta Oficial), came out on September 10, 1901.

The National Library of the Philippines' (NLP) current digital collection of the Official Gazette for 1920 only shows the Spanish edition. The relevant Executive Order No. 12, February 21, 1920, pertaining to the establishment of Marinduque as a province as stated contains the following text:

ORDENES EJECUTIVAS.

OFICINA DEL GOBERNADOR GENERAL DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS

Manila, 21 de febrero de 1920.

ORDEN EJECUTIVA}

          No. 12           }

De conformided con las disposiciones de la Ley Numero Dos mil ochicientos ochenta, aprobada el veintiuno de febrero de mil novecientos veinte, por la presente erijo en provincial la Antigua Provincia de Marinduque, desde el dia veintidos de febrero de mil novecientos veinte, y declare vigentes en toda su fuerza y vigor, a partir de esa fecha, las disposiciones de dicha Ley Numero Dos mil ochocientos ochenta.
                                                                 FRANCIS BURTON HARRISON,
                                                                                Gobernador General.
_________

The following is an unofficial translation of said Executive Order:

In accordance with the provisions of Act Number Two thousand eight hundred eighty, approved on the twenty-first day of February of one thousand nine hundred and twenty, I hereby establish as a province the former Province of Marinduque, as of February 22nd, one thousand nine hundred and twenty, and declare valid in all its force and vigor, as of that date, the provisions of said Act Number Two thousand eight hundred and eighty.
                                                                    FRANCIS BURTON HARRISON,                                                                                                      Governor-General

Gaceta Oficial issue of 17 March 1920, Vol XVIII No. 11. "21 Febrero de 1920" clearly shown as the date of Orden Ejecutiva No. 12". 
Only an Index of Official Gazette in English could be found online and shows the following relevant details: 
"18 (10): 432                             10 Mar ‘20

#12 – establishing as a province the former Province of Marinduque”

This was the basis for “ARAW NG MARINDUQUE” Commemoration in prior years, first officially celebrated province-wide in 2008, as part of the Province's efforts to incite and support the take off of a vibrant tourism, economic and social development. 

Provincial Ordinance No. 81 was passed in 2009 declaring FEBRUARY 21 of every year as “Araw ng Marinduque”. The Province of Marinduque is 99 this year (2019), and is gearing up for its Centennial Commemoration in 2020.

Comes now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP). In response to a certain query on when Marinduque Province should celebrate its foundation day NHCP states as follows:

"Regarding your inquiry on when should Marinduque Province celebrate its foundation day, based on sources found, Marinduque was separated from the Tayabas Province and re-established as an Independent province when Public Act No. 2880 was approved on 21 January 1920. This date then forms the basis of the foundation of the Province of Marinduque." (Ludovico D. Badoy, NHCP)

NHCP was silent on the fact that the said Act was one that authorized the Governor-General to reestablish Marinduque as an independent province as soon as the public interest may require it; that it was promulgated or APPROVED by the so authorized Governor-General one month later, on February 21, 1920 with effect from February 22, 1920, as also specified in same Executive Order No. 12 by FB Harrison, Governor-General; and a Proclamation, Ordinance have been previously issued, and annual commemorations undertaken based on these sources.

Additional reading from Diary of Francis Burton Harrison:

March 23, 1936. We arrived at Marinduque at 9 a.m. on Arayat worn out by the voyage. We went off first and after fiddling about to get a chauffer, drove up to Boac to get photographic film for Doria. Chatted in the shop for half an hour until Quezon arrived—fire-crackers!—constabulary—police—local officials of Marinduque. Secretary Quirino went on across the island to investigate some case, In the President’s stead he spoke at a town on the other side of Marinduque.

Quezon went to the town plaza of Boac and addressed a large crowd. He seemed very happy to be among his own people in Tagalog for about forty minutes. He had not been there for twenty years. He used many homely witticisms, which took well with the crowd. Made polite reference to my having signed in 1920 the law which made a separate province of Marinduque, until then a part of Tayabas (Quezon’s own province)—very evident was his relief at getting away from the Moros whom he distrusts and dislikes.

Various inspections—visit to s home, where I asked questions about the local gold deposits (apparently “a dud”) and about their copra, coffee, etc. Then to luncheon where I sat beside Quezon. The next move was to drive across the island, but the President said his stomach ulcer was giving him another hemorrhage, so I advised him to go back to the Arayat, which he agreed to do. We talked again about the Moros; he said he had instructed Colonel Stevens to act first and report later; that those Moros who wished to become civilized members of the Commonwealth would be welcomed, and the others would gradually disappear (like the American Indians). He added they could be taught agriculture. He must have noticed that when we entered that town of Cotabato, some Moros standing by the sign: “We want a Civilian Governor” (local politics) had spat as we passed by in the motor!

The President was enthusiastic over Lt. Johnson, one of his submachine gun bodyguard on the Cotabato trip and said that he was going to promote him. Same as to the big American policeman from Malacanan who accompanied us on the journey and hung on the step of the motor car. (N.B. what a big grip those employes have who get into personal contact with N 1). He said Johnson was the only one of General Wood’s appointee as young Constabulary officers who had made good. Quezon had noticed him in the anti-bandit campaign last October.

So we left Boac and crossed the channel to the beach opposite Lucena, where Doria, Felicia, “Baby” Quezon, Miss Labrador, Nieto and I disembarked in a launch; from that to a banca, thence to a chair. A big crowd of provincial officials waited on the beach to meet Quezon who, however, did not land.