Aquino declares January 10 as special
non-working day in Koronadal City, South Cotabato in celebration of its
Foundation Day
President
Benigno S. Aquino III has declared January 10, 2013, which falls on a Thursday,
as a special (non-working) day in the city of Koronadal in the province of
South Cotabato in celebration of its 73rd Foundation Day and the 13th Hinugyaw
Festival.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 525 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on December 13 to give the people of the city of Koronadal the full opportunity
to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
Koronadal City, popularly known to locals as
Marbel, is the capital of the province of South Cotabato.
Koronadal was once populated by the B’laan and
Maguindanao tribes. Before World War II, people from Luzon and the Visayas
settled in the place under the auspices of the National Land Settlement
Administration 1939.
The Municipal Council Resolution No. 32, Series
of 1948 mandated and proclaimed January 10 of each year as the Municipal Town
Fiesta commemorating the foundation of Marbel Settlement District of the
National Land Settlement.
In 2000, Koronadal became a component city of
South Cotabato by virtue of Republic Act No. 8803 otherwise known as "An
act converting the municipality of Koronadal, South Cotabato province, into a
component city to be known as the City of Koronadal."
Hinugyaw Festival is celebrated every year in
Koronadal City to pay homage to the first settlers who came to the city before
the Japanese invasion in 1941. PND (js)
