THIS WEEK’S MILESTONES

May 22 to May 28

May 24, 1954

Through Republic Act No. 981 signed by former President Ramon Magsaysay, Trece Martires was established as a city and became the provincial capital of Cavite. The city was named in honor of the 13 martyrs of Cavite, who were executed by the Spaniards shortly after the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution. The surnames of the 13 martyrs also became the names of the 13 barangays in the city. In 1977, Presidential Decree No. 1163 declared the City of Imus as the de jure provincial capital, while Trece Martires City became the de facto seat of the provincial government.

May 24, 1960

Titay was created as a corporate municipality of the province of Zamboanga del Sur through Executive Order No. 395 signed by former President Carlos P. Garcia. Titay traces its history in 1953 when three Ilocano families from Nueva Ecija settled down and cleared a portion of the forest. It was formerly a barrio within the jurisdiction of the municipality of Kabasalan but with the creation of the municipality of Ipil in 1951, it was placed under its jurisdiction. When the province of Zamboanga Sibugay was created, Titay was among the 16 municipalities listed under it. Titay has 30 barangays and, according to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,994.

May 26, 2021

Republic Act No. 11546 was signed into law by President Duterte, creating the fifth and sixth districts of Bulacan, from the previous four congressional divisions in the province. The existing lone district of the City of San Jose del Monte, a component city of Bulacan, was left untouched. The first district is comprised of the City of Malolos and the towns of Hagonoy, Calumpit, Pulilan, Paombong and Bulakan. The second district, however, only retained the towns of Baliwag, Plaridel and Bustos. Its former territories — the towns of Guiguinto, Balagtas, Pandi and Bocaue — are now part of the fifth district. The third district retained only the towns of San Miguel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael and Doña Remedios Trinidad because Angat and Norzagaray were moved under the newly created sixth district. Also included in the sixth district is the town of Sta. Maria, which used to belong to the fourth district. Only the towns of Obando and Marilao and the City of Meycauayan remain under the fourth district.

May 27, 1945

During World War II, the Base Hospital was transferred to the town of Tagudin in Ilocos Sur to bring it closer to the frontline of battle where casualties and medical cases were heavy. The headquarters was established at the municipal hall while big tents were set up on the town plaza. The market site and big residential houses near the town plaza were utilized as hospital wards. Around 881 military and civilian personnel manned the hospital, the biggest installation of its kind in the country during the liberation campaign of the Philippines. A historical marker was installed on the site in 1958 by the Philippine Historical Committee.

This week’s festival: Due to the national public health emergency in relation to the

new coronavirus disease, the Sarangani Bay Festival in Glan, Sarangani, from May

27 to May 29, will push through with participants and spectators urged to observe

minimum health and safety protocols.

Compiled by: Marielle Medina, Inquirer Research

Sources: Inquirer Archives, Official Gazette of the Philippines, Philippine Statistics

Authority, NHCP website, trecemartirescity.gov.ph, cavite.gov.ph, titay.gov.ph,

Sarangani Bay Festival official Facebook page