CEBU CITY, April 25 (PNA) — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has asked Malacanang to declare April 28 as an official holiday in the city in line with Kaplag 2015 which commemorates the finding of the “miraculous” image of Sto. Niño de Cebu 450 years ago.
Rama said he felt the need for the declaration of a holiday to allow Cebuanos to celebrate the rare occasion.
Three days ago, the Cebu City Council passed a resolution requesting the Office of the President to declare April 28 as a non-working holiday.
They received no response as of Saturday.
Because of this, Rama said he had to write and sign a new request himself.
Rama said there is no reason for President Benigno S. Aquino III to turn down the request considering that the latter already approved a similar request from a different group before.
“There is no reason that he cannot give it to us since Sto. Niño has always been focal to our faith as Roman Catholics,” he said.
Aside from the city government, church officials, particularly the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu, also urged the President to declare Kaplag this year a holiday.
Church officials claim that the dramatic yet providential discovery or “pagkakaplag” of the wooden image of Sto. Niño de Cebu in a partially scorched hut on April 28, 1565 started the distinctive Christian heritage of the Philippines. (PNA)