Kaganapan is the founding anniversary celebration of the city of San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines every February 4. It is a fest that commemorates the historic enactment of Republic Act No. 8990 that transformed then town of San Fernando to a component city of the province.
The city also celebrates Giant Lantern Festival every December.
Etymology
Kaganapan in the Filipino language means coming to fulfillment.
History of San Fernando City
San Fernando was carved out from Bacolor and Mexico as a result of the growth of these towns. With the population boom and the rise of the need for better law enforcement, performing religious services and discharging police duties were becoming a challenge. The parish priests of the churches in Bacolor and Mexico endorsed the request for a new pueblo located in between them, and so a petition was filed by Josef Bersosa to Governor-General Pedro Manuel de Arandia on July 17, 1754.
By virtue of a decree issued by Pedro Manuel de Arandia, San Fernando was born on August 16, 1754. The new town was named after St. Ferdinand III of Castile; Vidal de Arrozal became its first gobernadorcillo. Its church was erected that was made of light construction materials a year later, and it would later become the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando. In 1756, the municipal building was built.
In the succeeding years, the territory of San Fernando would be redefined. Angeles, which was a hacienda of Angel Pantaleon de Miranda and was called Barrio Saguin, ceded on December 8, 1829. Through Act No. 1208, the municipality of Santo Tomas was integrated to San Fernando on July 26, 1904 and in that same year, the town of Minalin was also consolidated to it. These towns would be separated subsequently, Minalin five years later and Santo Tomas in 1952.
The town saw the rise of the labor movement as pioneered by the Hermegildo Cruz who headed Union de Lithografos y Impresores de Filipinas (ULIF) and is an important town that figured in prominently in the history of the Philippine revolution in 1898. It fell to the control of the American colonizers in the following year. It became Pampanga’s new capitol on August 15, 1904; until then, the capital of Pampanga was the municipality of Bacolor beginning in 1698.
During the war, the Japanese military occupied the town and converted it into a headquarter in preparation for their attack at Bataan. It was liberated on January 29, 1945.
The initiative to make San Fernando a city was advocated by Mayor Rey B. Aquino and Senator Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and Representative Oscar Rodriguez introduced a legislation to the Lower House of Congress. San Fernando became a component city through the passage of Republic Act No. 8990, otherwise known as An Act Converting the Municipality of San Fernando in the Province of Pampanga into a Component City to be Known as the City of San Fernando, approved on January 26, 2001 and became effective on February 4, 2001. This is the date that Kaganapan commemorates.
Kaganapan Activities
The calendar of Kaganapan varies. Typically, its schedule spans for two weeks and sometimes it can be as long as an entire month (like in 2020). It is also designed to culminate on Valentine’s Day, February 14. Activities include trade fair, thanksgiving mass, sports, job fair, talent show, pet shows, entertainment, exhibits, etc. One of the maintstays is the Outstanding Fernandino Awards that gives recognition to individuals and organizations who have shown excellence in their fields.
How to reach San Fernando City
San Fernando City is an hour away from Clark International Airport.
References
- REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8990, January 26, 2001. Supreme Court of the Philippines E-Library. Retrieved February 6, 2023
- History. City Government of San Fernando. Retrieved February 6, 2023
- Act No. 1208, July 26, 1904. Lawyerly PH. Retrieved February 6, 2023
- History of Bacolor. Municipal Government of Bacolor. Retrieved February 6, 2023
- Joelyn G. Baluyut. San Fernando to celebrate 11th Cityhood anniversary. Philippine Information Agency. January 31, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2023
- CSF kicks off ‘Kaganapan’ 2016. Sunstar Pampanga. February 3, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2023
- Princess Clea Arcellaz. Kaganapan 2020 celebrates San Fernando’s heritage amid progress. Sunstar. January 27, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2023
- Bong Lacson. No mere footnote to history. Punto Central Luzon. January 30, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2023
Kaganapan Summary
Name Kaganapan Celebration Founding anniversary, History Contact +63(045) 649-8080 (103) Country Philippines Date February 4 Duration 2 weeks to a month Email info.csfp@gmail.com Established 2001 Facebook web.facebook.com Historical event Cityhood of San Fernando, Pampanga Location San Fernando, Pampanga Organizer City Government of San Fernando Simultaneous event Valentine's Day Twitter twitter.com Website cityofsanfernando.gov.ph
| Name | Kaganapan |
|---|---|
| Celebration | Founding anniversary, History |
| Contact | +63(045) 649-8080 (103) |
| Country | Philippines |
| Date | February 4 |
| Duration | 2 weeks to a month |
| info.csfp@gmail.com | |
| Established | 2001 |
| web.facebook.com | |
| Historical event | Cityhood of San Fernando, Pampanga |
| Location | San Fernando, Pampanga |
| Organizer | City Government of San Fernando |
| Simultaneous event | Valentine's Day |
| twitter.com | |
| Website | cityofsanfernando.gov.ph |