LAOAG CITY (PNA) – The annual celebration of the birthday of former president Ferdinand Marcos on September 11 came almost unnoticed for some Ilocos Norte residents, except for netizens who participated in the mostly virtual activities prepared this year due to the national health crisis.
Many workers of public and private establishments in the province, who expected a non-working holiday, were dismayed as the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) passed a resolution declaring Friday as a special working holiday in the province.
The announcement was posted on social media only after the provincial communications and media office received many inquiries, asking if September 11 was a non-working holiday.
Earlier, the House of Representatives approved House Bill (HB) 7137 which seeks to declare September 11 as "Marcos Day” in Ilocos Norte but the bill authored by Ilocos Norte first district Rep. Ria Christina Fariñas, Ilocos Norte second district Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba, and Probinsyano Ako Rep. Rudy Caesar Fariñas still needs a Senate counterpart measure to be approved into law.
“Hopefully, it will soon be realized into law. We no longer have to undergo a tedious process every year to apply and request Malacanang to proclaim a special non-working holiday,” said Barba as he made sure he was home to join fellow Ilocanos in their annual tribute to "Apo Lakay”.
In Sarrat town and in Batac City where Marcos’ statues were unveiled in previous celebrations, a live stream of the separate wreath-laying ceremonies were posted on Facebook while participants in the virtual contests have been asked to submit their entries through email.
The virtual edition of the Marcos Day celebration features “kwentong quarantine (quarantine stories)” or the spoken word poetry and dinengdeng cooking blog contest to be participated by students aged 12 years and below.
The crowd’s all-time favorite such as the "Little Ferdie and Imelda duet singing contest" are also featured online including a poster making contest but instead of focusing on the life and legacy of Marcos, the poster making contest this year concentrates on Covid-19 awareness.
Organized by the Office of Senator Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos in cooperation with the Department of Health (DOH), patients at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center were also given for free dialysis from Friday to Saturday.
In Metro Manila, there will also be a distribution of free nutribun to front-liners assigned at the Philippine General Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Lung Center, National Kidney Institute, Philippine Children’s Hospital, and East Avenue Medical Center.
The vitamin-packed nutribun was made famous during the time of the former president to help fight malnutrition in the country.