Albay Governor-elect Noel Rosal has prodded other newly-elected officials and concerned government agencies to work together to honestly serve the Filipino people and enhance public trust in government institutions.
“We are all here today celebrating our Independence Day as a sign of unity to fight for different problems in the government and in the community, including graft and corruption, illegal drugs, health crisis, calamities, poverty, and many other things that we need to address to,” Rosal said in his message during the 124th year Independence Day and 63rd Legazpi City Charter Day on Sunday.
Rosal, the incumbent mayor of this city, said the country is now free from the hands of foreign invaders but the government should continue to work for progress and development to put the nation in the “right direction toward genuine prosperity”.
“As the newly elected governor of the province of Albay, I am here to fight the problems in our society and I am also here to fight for the needs of our constituents so that the fights of our heroes would not be in vain,” he said.
The events started with the Holy Mass at the Albay Cathedral, followed by a parade of troops, a flag-raising ceremony, and then the release of freedom doves and balloons at Peñaranda Park in the Old Albay District.
After the short program for Independence Day, Rosal and Vice Mayor Bobby Cristobal led the wreath-laying ceremony at the adjacent city hall compound to celebrate the 63rd Legazpi City Charter Day.
Legazpi first became a city under the Becerra Law of 1892 which constituted the municipalities of Legazpi, Bay Nuevo, and Daraga, but it was dissolved under the American occupation in 1900.
For the second time, it became a city on July 18, 1948 when Legazpi and Daraga were combined to constitute its territory under Republic Act (RA) 306.
But on June 8, 1954, RA 993, which recreated both towns, was approved and the city was again dissolved.
For the third time on June 12, 1959, Legazpi became a city under RA 2234 and Daraga became an independent municipality with the onset of the Integrated Reorganization Plan which involved the restructuring of local government.
Source: Philippines News Agency
