A heritage group in Lucena City has questioned the date of the celebration of the city's foundation day, citing documents showing that Lucena City is founded on November 3 - not August 20 as the city government has asserted.
August 20 is considered a special non-working holiday in Lucena City, Quezon, as it is celebrated yearly as the city's foundation day.
But the head of a non-government historical and cultural advocacy group in the city is firmly opposed in celebrating August 20 as its foundation day.
Vladimir Agcaoili Nieto, president of the Konseho ng Herencia ng Lucena (KHL) or Lucena Heritage Council has issued a challenge to anyone “kung ano ang pinakamahalagang totoo, factual, historical at relevant event ang naganap sa Lucena ng August 20 kaya walang pasok."
Nieto is dismayed that the city government has kept on celebrating August 20 as the city’s founding anniversary, stressing that it has no historical basis and is not proven by any historical records.
Nieto insists that Lucena city must celebrate its foundation day on November 3 as it was on November 3, 1879 that the city was founded.
Nieto said that on November 3, 1879, the Spanish colonial administration of the Philippines has issued a Royal Order for the new town of Cotta to be separated from Tayabas town.
Cotta is now just one of the 33 barangays of Lucena City, the capital of Quezon province.
Tayabas, now a city, is formerly the name of Quezon province.
Nieto proceeded to show the book A Definitive History of Lucena city (1879-2000) authored by Cesar Villariba proving the said historical fact.
In that book, it was written that Fr. Mariano Granja (1841-1889) a parish priest of Gumaca in 1874 and Tayabas in 1876 had worked closely with the principalia and the inhabitants of Tayabas, Sariaya and Pagbilao for the establishment of a new town of Cotta, a barrio of Tayabas, then the capital of the province. The new town include the barrios of Mayao, Gulang-Gulang, Ibabang Dupay, Ilayang Dupay, Canlurang Iyam, Silangang Iyam, Ibabang Talim, Ilayang Talim, Bocohan, Ibabang Isabang, Canlurang Domoit, Silangang Domoit and Salinas.
On November 3, 1879, a royal decree was issued creating the town of Lucena named in honor ofFr. Mariano Granja who came from the town Lucena, province of Andalucia in Spain.
Nieto also cited another document, Lucena city Cultural Mapping, commissioned by Lucena Council for Culture and the Arts in Jan. 2011 which certifies that Lucena city became a city on August 20.
The research book conducted by MSEUF College of Arts and Sciences with Ph.D Claudia Odette Ayala as lead researcher said that Republic Act 3721 authored by Manuel Enverga converted Lucena into a city with Casto Profugo as its first city mayor in 1961-63.
It also said that it was on August 20, 1961 that Lucena became a city by virtue of R.A. 3271 authored by Manuel Enverga, Lorenzo Tanada, Decoroso Rosales, Pascual Espinosa and Cipriano Primicias.
“What are their bases for celebrating the 20th of August? The answers we got were all vague, if not ridiculous. If they had a better argument to stop us from saying it’s on November 3, then we would have remained silent already. Unfortunately, wala naman silang maipakita,” Nieto said in his Facebook post.
He said that two noted historians of the province – Mark Anthony Glorioso and Pepe Alas - also support him and alleged that November 3, 1879 is the foundation date of Lucena city.
Glorioso who is from Tayabas city, graduated from Southern Luzon State University in AB History and now works at Jessie Robredo Museum under National Historical Commission of the Philippines while Alas is from Unisan town but was born in Lucena who wrote numerous researches about different municipalities.
On Monday (August 16), Quezon Governor Danilo Suarez has issued an Executive Order suspending regular office hours in all provincial government offices in Lucena city on August 20 – except operations and services of public hospitals and disaster risk reduction and management - in accordance with Proclamation 1202 of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte declaring August 20 as special non-working holiday in the city.
Tags: #OpinYonQuezonin, #LucenaCity, #foundationday, #KonsehongHerenciangLucena