Calapan City kicks off 20th founding anniversary celebration

The City of Calapan has kicked off its celebration for the 20th founding anniversary of the city yesterday, March 2.

The so-called “Pillars of Calapan’s Cityhood” have met together to look back on the day Calapan officially became a city almost 20 years ago.

“Masayang nagkita-kita sa Calapan City Plaza Pavilion ang mga Pillars of Calapan’s Cityhood o mga taong umugit at nagtaguyod sa kasaysayan ng pagiging lungsod ng Calapan na pormal na naisakatuparan at ganap na naging isang lungsod noong Marso 21, 1998, may 20 taon na ang nakalilipas,” the city said.

The 20th founding anniversary carries the theme “20 Taon ng Lungsod: Kaunlaran, Kalinga, Malasakit para sa lahat.”

Mayor Arnan Panaligan lauded the people who made the Calapan the city that it is today.

“Una na rito ang pagbibigay pagkilala at pasasalamat kay Former Congressman Renato V. Leviste na siyang may akda at naghain sa kongreso ng House Bill 7651 at naging ganap itong batas R.A. 8475 An Act of conversion of Calapan into a component city in the province of Oriental Mindoro,” the city said.

Also recognized were the 1998 Sangguniang Bayan members Vice Mayor Carlos Brucal, Coun. Robert Paras, Coun. Gil Ramirez, Coun. Abraham Abas, Coun. Alfred Acedillo, Coun. Zeny Garcia, Coun. Nelson Aboboto, Coun. Rey Catibog, Coun. Alex Rojas, Coun. Virgil Cantos, SK Victor Ulayan and Ex Officio Rafael Rojas.

“Kasama rin na binigyan ng pagkilala ang mga department heads at 62 Barangay Captain noon na sumuporta sa cityhood ng Calapan,” said the city.

Then President Fidel V. Ramos signed Republic Act No. 8475 creating the City of Calapan on February 2, 1998.

Mayor Arnan Panaligan, dubbed as the City Builder, was then a municipal mayor.

Within a span of 20 years, Panaligan has served as a Governor for the Oriental Mindoro province for nine years from 2004 to 2013. He was elected as the city mayor anew in 2013.