Press Release
September 24, 2018

Senate passes bills declaring holidays in San Fabian and Davao Occidental

The Senate approved today on third and final reading two house bills seeking to declare special non-working holidays in San Fabian, Pangasinan and Davao Occidental to commemorate their founding anniversaries.

Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government and sponsor of the measures, said that "for communities to progress, we must consider honoring and learning from our history and the people who are part of it."

"These dates warrant equal recognition because they help remind the residents of San Fabian and Davao Occidental how their communities were formed. This is also an occasion for them to celebrate the period when they united as one province," Angara said.

House Bill No. 1865 proposes the declaration of a special non-working holiday in San Fabian, Pangasinan on March 21 while HBN 2692 proposes the declaration of a special non-working holiday in Davao Occidental on October 28 in commemoration of their respective founding anniversaries.

San Fabian, with its 34 barangays, was created by the Spanish Supreme Court on March 21, 1717. The seat of government was founded in what was then called Barangay Angio and was named after Saint Fabian, the 20th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

Davao Occidental, meanwhile, was created through Republic Act 10360. It was signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III on January 14, 2013. A plebiscite held on October 23, 2013 coinciding with the barangay elections, ratified RA 10630, thereby creating the province of Davao Occidental. (AY Almirañez)

News Latest News Feed