Historical Distortion of Ozamiz City Foundation on June 19, 1948


Ozamiz City usually celebrates two religious festivals to commemorate its so-called "foundation". First is every July 16 of the year in honor of the Blessed Virgin of Cotta (The Feast of Our Lady of Carmel del Triunfo) and 2nd, on every December 8 to celebrate the Feast of Immaculate Concepcion, which was recently declared as a national holiday.

In retrospect, the date July 16 was actually originated from an order of Spain to all spanish colonies (obviously including the Philippines) to commemorate the victory of the christian armies in the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in the year 1212.  On the other hand, December 8 was celebrated as result of the Vatican declaration of the doctrine of Mary, the Immaculate Concepcion on December 8, 1845. 

These two festivities while presently considered as legal holidays are actually not the real and true foundation day of Ozamiz City, but two traditions of religious importance pre-dating WW1 and WW2. The old spanish capital, Misamis, was subsequently renamed into Ozamiz City in 1948 in honor of the former Senator Jose F. Ozamiz who was then representing the huge regional district of Misamis. 

Don Jose Fortich Ozamiz was born on May 5, 1898 (the year when the first Republic of the Philippine was declared by Gen. Aguinaldo signaling the country's independence from Spain). Don Ozamiz was the son of Jenaro Ozamiz (from Navarre, Spain) and Basilisa Fortich.

Historically, it was on June 19, 1948 (or 50 years after the declaration of independence) and after WW2, where by virtue of a political act of Congress under its charter RA No. 321, Ozamiz City was founded.

Unfortunately in 1989, Congress enacted RA No. 6743 declaring every July 16 as legal holiday being the Ozamiz City Charter Day, which is confusingly erroneous and out of context. This law merely declared a holiday. Neither, it expressly created a cityhood of Ozamiz, despite it mentioned charter in the title without any meaning.


The real and true foundation or Charter Day of Ozamiz City should be on and every June 19 of each year when its cityhood charter, RA No. 321, was approved by Congress and not July 16. Significantly, it is the same day our national hero, Jose Rizal, was born. July 16 will continue as a separate holiday for the Feast of Our Lady of Carmel del Triunfo.

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