The first-ever commemoration of Araw ng Marinduque, as the province's foundation day is officially referred to, was on 21 February 2008. The late Gov. Jose Antonio "Bong" Carrion issued an executive order to that effect, and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Marinduque adopted SP Ordinance No. 81 dated 28 January 2009, declaring "February 21 of every year as Araw ng Marinduque".
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| Araw ng Marinduque Logo in 2008 |
It has been commemorated since then on that special day. But sometime in 2018, MSC Professor Randy Nobleza through his school unit, Marindukanon Cultural and Arts Studies, on the basis of questionable evidence that stated a date different from February 21 as the province's founding anniversary, obtained a certification from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), stating a new date.
In a letter dated 10 July 2018 NHCP’s Ludivico Badoy, Acting Chair, responded to Nobleza that “based on the sources found, Marinduque was separated from 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 for the foundation of the Province of Marinduque.”
By January 8, 2019, through the college unit, MSC Sentro ng Wika at Kultura, the launching of "Pasinaya sa ika-100 taon ng pagsasarili ng Marinduque" was announced. In a related Facebook post were the curious words "Marindukanon Century 1920-2020".
Nobleza then launched using his social media platform called Marindukanon Cultural and Arts Studies, own preparations. He called it "Marindukanon Autonomy 2020" and on January 21, 2019 was held "Flag Raising Ceremonies" for the "Centennial kick-off".
One would think that the name of our dearly beloved province, its "tao, lugar at kultura" has been replaced with a new one, and that it was reestablished as a province on another date supposedly backed up by solid historical evidence.
In the same month, as an independent historical researcher, this blogger engaged in his own research, having lost related documents, to disprove the said claim. It wasn't easy but I managed to access, online, after searching here and there, the archives of the National Library and found the copy I was looking for. It was the Official Gazette issued in 1920 - specifically, Executive Order No 12, dated February 21, 1920, signed by Gov-Gen Francis Burton Harrison on the reestablishment of Marinduque as an independent province.
The said EO also clearly stated that Act No. 2880 was approved on the same date, February 21, 1920.
This information with
actual copy of the relevant Official Gazette page was posted by me with comments on social
media tagging NHCP, NCCA, and NM for their own information and perusal.
In a meeting called for the purpose by former Gov. Romulo Bacorro, Jr. in January 2019, where I was invited to help with preparations for Centennial 2020, I pointed out that ‘January 21’ is the wrong date as claimed by MSC’s 'Marindukanon Cultural and Arts Studies’.
Inspite of many more social media posts on the matter proving FEBRUARY 21 as the correct date, Nobleza in the same year 2019, through a letter to NHCP still pursued his aim “seeking a proclamation declaring 21 January 2020 as the centenary of the foundation of the Province of Marinduque”.
Nobleza eventually received a letter from the Office of the President dated 14 May 2019, “relative to your request for a certification on the foundation date of Marinduque in preparation for its centennial celebration on 21 January 2020.”
NHCP this time, however, in its 1st Indorsement dated 15 March 2019, to Deputy Executive Sec. Ryan Alvin Acosta, Legal Affairs, Malacanang, and in response to Nobleza’s letter apparently became aware of the 'new' evidence. It stated the correct date, indeed, but with a new twist:
“Marinduque regained its status as an independent province through Executive Order No. 12 signed by Governor General Francis Burton Harrison on 21 February 1920, which specified that the reestablishment will take effect on 22 February 1920”:
“In view of t he foregoing, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, recommends declaring 22 February 2020 as the centenary of the foundation of the Province of Marinduque”. (Dr. Rene R. Escalante, Chairman).
But after changing its opinion on the date of Marinduque’s foundation date, (January 21 and February 22), NHCP again, contradicted itself here.
In the case of Buenavista (a municipality in Marinduque), relative to an inquiry on the town's own centennial NHCP commented, “that Buenavista was excised from its parent municipality of Gasan and established as an independent municipality on its own right by virtue of Executive Order No. 40, which was signed by Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison on 6 November 1918 and became effective on 1 January 1919.
NHCP added:
“The NHCP Board, in a meeting last 27 March 2017, resolved to adopt, in all cases, the date of approval of a municipality’s charter as its foundation date instead of the charter’s date of effectivity, on the basis of the latter date being merely procedural. In view of the foregoing we recommend the issuance of a Presidential Proclamation declaring 6 November of the following year as a special non-working holiday in the Municipality of Buenavista in celebration of the centennial anniversary of its foundation.”
Araw ng Marinduque has always been commemorated on February 21 based on facts and local legislation
Interestingly, SP Resolution No. 534 series 2009, (that's 12 years ago), Resolution Enacting Provincial Ordinance No. 81 Series 2009, An Ordinance Declaring
February Twenty-One of Every Year as “Araw ng Marinduque” had a Contestability
Clause: (Full text of SP Resolution here)
"Section 3. Contestability Clause. Any person or
entity/organization who might find that February 21, 1920 was not the exact
date when Act No. 2880 was signed into law may contest this Ordinance upon
presentation of validated documents and evidences.
No one ever contested this, and we've been commemorating the date since then through various activities, oftentimes with a parade with floats participated in by the Marinduque State College (MSC).
Not once but twice
Based on the above narrative, NHCP already erred in its claim through the Badoy letter that it was ‘January 21, 1920’ – but apparently erred again for a second time.
NHCP by this time has admitted that Harrison signed the EO on February 21, 1920, but carelessly stated, however, that ‘February 22’ as the centenary being the “effectivity date” (Escalante).
Another hurdle then in the middle of the Provincial Government of Marinduque's (PGM), efforts to undertake a meaningful once-in-a-lifetime Centennial celebration that involves the participation in various activities of the six municipalities?
Fact is NHCP had already decided back in 2017, to adopt, in all cases
the “date of approval” as foundation date “instead
of the charter’s date of effectivity, on the basis of the latter date being
merely procedural.”
Centennial Commemorative Stamp
The Provincial Government under the newly-elected governor, Gov. Presby Velasco, Jr., requested PHILPOST for issuance of a Centennial Commemorative Stamp. PHILPOST
positively responded but required a Certification
on the Authenticity of the Commemoration of Marinduque’s Centennial Year 2020.
To comply with that, in a letter to NHCP
dated September 18, 2019, Gov.
Velasco sent the correct information on the
reestablishment of Marinduque as an independent province along with other pertinent matters
for the appreciation of the said Commission.
In the same letter, PGM recommended to NHCP, with copy to the
Office of the President, the issuance of a Presidential
Proclamation declaring February 21, 2020 as a special non-working
holiday in the Province of Marinduque, in celebration of the Centennial Anniversary
of its foundation, and February 21 of every year thereafter as “ARAW NG
MARINDUQUE”.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan on the other hand, issued
Resolution No. 66-2019, dated August 20, 2019, requesting Pres. Rodrigo R.
Duterte for the issuance of a Presidential Proclamation declaring February 21,
2020 as a special nonworking holiday in the Province of Marinduque.
Note the dates. August and September 2019.
But on October 24, 2019, the Legal Affairs Office, Office of the President sent an email to the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan attaching the soft copies of NHCP’s Indorsement &
Certification, and letter addressed to Nobleza, regarding his request for a certification “in preparation for its centennial
celebration on 21 January 2020.”
This blogger was
informed of the "very serious matter, really serious" by the SP Secretary on the matter, adding that he had promptly
responded to the Legal Affairs Office, Malacanang by email as follows:
“Per instruction from the proponent of the Resolution No. 66, series of
2019 (requesting the President for issuance of a Proclamation declaring Feb.
21, 2020 as a non-working holiday to commemorate Araw ng Marinduque), that was
forwarded to your office, we would like to respectfully request that any action
thereof be held in abeyance since the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan/Provincial Government of Marinduque will make the necessary appeal
with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), and
Marinduque State College (MSC) since there are documents in our possession that
says otherwise.” – SP Secretariat
A letter dated 4 November 2019, was eventually received by Gov. Velasco acknowledging receipt of the Governor’s letter of Sept. 18, 2019,
stating in part, thus:
“While the NHCP previously stated two different dates (21 January 1920 and 22 February 1920) as Marinduque’s date of establishment as an independent province, allow us to correct our earlier positions by recognizing 21 February 1920, as the appropriate foundation date of the Province of Marinduque…” (Dr. Rene Escalante, Chairman)
"Sa hinaba-haba ng prusisyon..."
Presidential
Proclamation No. 879 was issued on January 6, 2020, declaring Friday, 21 February 2020, a special
(non-working) day in the Province of Marinduque.
Related to this, on the occasion of the unveiling of Bantayog-Wika for Tagalog Marinduque or Marindukenyo, Rep. Lord Allan Q. Velasco (now House Speaker), announced the approval of House Bill No. 6552, dated August 23, 2020, An Act Declaring FEBRUARY 21 of every year as “Araw ng Marinduque” a special nonworking holiday in the Province of Marinduque.
(To be continued)
