ILOILO – Due to pandemic restrictions, tomorrow’s Independence Day celebration – the country’s 123rd – would be simple like last year’s.
There will be a flag raising and wreath-laying ceremony in the historic town of Santa Barbara, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
The public plaza of Santa Barbara was site of the first raising of the Philippine flag outside Luzon on Nov. 17, 1898 five months after General Emilio Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898.
This revolutionary act is now known as the “Cry of Santa Barbara” and also marked the inauguration of the Revolutionary Government of the Visayas.
Expected attendees are Defensor, Mayor Rema Somo of Santa Barbara and Iloilo Police Provincial Office director Colonel Gilbert Gorero.
Somo said the ceremonies will start at 8 a.m. It would last up to 30 minutes only.
The mayor said she invited school heads and department heads of the municipal government.
A cleanup will follow after the ceremonies, Somo said, “in support sa program sang provincial government nga ‘Limpyo Iloilo’”.
“Because tag-ulolan na, basi aside sa COVID-19 atakihon kita sang dengue. So, amo ‘na nga may cleanup kita and after that may tree planting,” Somo added.
Meanwhile, the Iloilo City government would celebrate Independence Day online, said Mayor Jerry Treñas, amid the metro’s modified enhanced community quarantine status.
A simple ceremony would be streamed tomorrow morning via the Iloilo City Government Facebook page./PN
