ILOILO CITY, April 10 (PNA) –- Senate President Franklin M. Drilon will lead Saturday the meeting with Iloilo local leaders to thresh out preparations for the June 12 Independence Day that will be held in the historical town of Sta. Barbara in the second district of Iloilo province.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Sr. said that the national celebration of the Independence Day will be led by President Benigno Aquino III in the town of Sta. Barbara with the vin d’ honneur to be held at the old capitol in the heart of Iloilo city right after.
The governor said that attending tomorrow’s meeting aside from him at the New Iloilo Capitol are Iloilo Second District Representative Arcadio Gorriceta, Sta. Barbara town Mayor Dennis S. Superficial, Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, Iloilo Rep. Jerry Trenas, National Historical Commission chair Maria Serena I. Diokno, and some Malacanang officials.
Today, Friday, members of the Presidential Security Guard and the Presidential Management Staff inspected the Sta. Barbara church that is now undergoing restoration in preparation for the big event.
Defensor said that he is confident the restoration of the old capitol will be finished before Independence Day.
Sta. Barbara is the site of revolt led by its homegrown son Gen. Martin T. Delgado against Spanish colonizers. Gen. Delgado, after the war, became the first governor of Iloilo province. (PNA)