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Friday, January 31, 2020

All set for ‘Dia de Zamboanga’ celebration

PREPARATION IS under way for the celebration of the 83rd Dia de Zamboanga, one of the most important celebrations in Zamboanga City where in February 26, 1937 the first set of city officials, led by Mayor Nicasio Valderrosa, was sworn into office.

The Dia de Zamboanga, a special non-working holiday, is celebrated with various activities and among the events prepared for the celebration are the Zamboanga Hip-Hop Competition, Dia de Sen. Roseller Lim, #ZamboLoveFest, Zamboanga Film Festival, Inter-school Drum and Lyre Competition, Zamboanga Hip-Hop Dance and Open Cheer Dance Competition and the Zamboanga Music RunVolution 4.0.
A program will also be held at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex and followed by civic-military parade. 


History

According to Wikipedia, the leadership of Zamboanga was in the hands of the commander of its Spanish garrison, Fort Pilar, during the Spanish era (1521-1898). When General Vicente Alvarez established Zamboanga as a sovereign republic, the leadership was vested upon its president.

Upon the firm establishment of American colonization and dissolution of the Republic in 1903, Zamboanga, as a municipality, was placed under the Moro Province, a semi-military government consisting of five districts: Zamboanga, Cotabato, Davao, Lanao and Sulu. During this period, Zamboanga hosted a number of American regional governors, including General John J. Pershing, who was military commander and governor of the Moro Province from 1909 to 1914.

On September 15, 1911, the Legislative Council of the Moro Province passed Act No. 272 converting the municipality into a city with a commission form of government but was amended to be effective on January 1, 1912. 

Frederick Christopher Bader was appointed mayor of the city. After Bader's term ended in 1914, Victoriano Tarrosa, a native Zamboangueño was appointed to replace him. Upon the establishment of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu in 1914, Zamboanga City was reverted into a municipality run by a municipal president.

When the Commonwealth government was established in 1935, calls to convert Zamboanga into a city increased. On September 23, 1936, through Assemblyman Juan Alano, the National Assembly of the Philippines passed Commonwealth Act No. 39 making Zamboanga a chartered city consists of the present territorial jurisdiction of the municipality of Zamboanga, the municipality of Bolong, the municipal district of Taluksangay, the whole island of Basilan and the adjacent islands, the municipality of Isabela, the municipal district of Lamitan, and the municipal district of Maluso. It was later signed by President Manuel Quezon on October 12, 1936.

The charter made Zamboanga as the largest city in the world in terms of land area. The charter also called for a government headed by a city mayor to be appointed by the President of the Philippines; and a city council to be composed of the city engineer, city treasurer, three elective councilors and two appointive councilors.

In a jubilant celebration held outside the City Hall, the new city government was formally inaugurated on February 26, 1937 and Valderrosa was appointed as mayor while Doroteo Karagdag, Agustin Natividad, Santiago Varela, Faustino Macaso and Pedro Cuevas, Jr. were appointed as councilors.

Although born in Bacolod, Negros Occidental on October 11, 1891, Valderrosa spent most of his career in Western Mindanao, mainly in Zamboanga and Basilan. In 1930, he was appointed Secretary and Treasurer of the province of Zamboanga and served until his appointment as mayor in 1937.

At this time, the city mayor is directly appointed by the President of the Philippines. During his term, he was known for transferring the Moro village from the thriving tourist spot of Cawa-Cawa Boulevard to its present location in Campo Islam. He also constructed the road network in Basilan.

In 1939, Valderrosa on the request of President Quezon, was assigned to the newly created chartered city of Baguio, which was experiencing administrative problems as a fledgling city. He became also Basilan's first city mayor when it separated from Zamboanga in 1948. The street that passes through the Zamboanga City Hall is named in honor of Valderrosa. (Zamboanga Post)



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