24/08/2026
๐จ CLARIFICATION: AUGUST 25 IS A SPECIAL NON-WORKING HOLIDAY FOR ILOILO CITY โ NOT FOR THE ENTIRE ILOILO PROVINCE. ๐จ
๐ ZARRAGA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL LEARNERS, PLEASE TAKE NOTE!
Weโve seen the announcement circulating about Tuesday, August 25, 2026 being declared a Special (Non-Working) Day.
But hereโs the important distinction:
โ ILOILO CITY ONLY.
โ NOT ILOILO PROVINCE.
Under Presidential Proclamation No. 1388, s. 2026, Tuesday, August 25, 2026 is declared a Special (Non-Working) Day IN THE CITY OF ILOILO in celebration of its 89th Charter Anniversary. The proclamation does not declare a province-wide holiday for all municipalities in Iloilo Province. (Philippine Information Agency)
And this matters to us because:
๐ Zarraga National High School is in Zarraga, Iloilo Provinceโnot in Iloilo City.
The Iloilo Provincial Government identifies Zarraga as a municipality in the Province of Iloilo, and official DepEd records list Zarraga National High School under the Iloilo school division, distinct from schools classified under Iloilo City. (Iloilo Provincial Government)
๐ง SO, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US?
Simply put:
August 25, 2026 is a holiday for ILOILO CITY.
It is NOT automatically a holiday for the municipalities of ILOILO PROVINCE.
So, dear ZNHS learners, do not assume that there are no classes simply because you saw โIloiloโ in a social media post.
๐ Read the complete announcement. ๐ Check the exact place covered. ๐ Look for official school announcements. ๐ Verify before you share.
Because in this case, one word makes all the difference: CITY. ๐
๐๏ธ BUT WHY IS ILOILO CITY CELEBRATING?
Now that we've cleared that up, let's turn this into a little history lesson. ๐โจ
August 25 marks the Charter Anniversary of Iloilo City, commemorating its formal inauguration as a chartered city on August 25, 1937.
This year, Iloilo City celebrates its:
๐ 89TH CHARTER ANNIVERSARY
The occasion recognizes an important chapter in the city's political and historical development as a chartered city.
So while Iloilo City is having its Charter Day celebration, this does not mean that every municipality in Iloilo Province is observing the same special non-working holiday.
๐งญ CITY VS. PROVINCE: CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE?
Here's a quick challenge for our learners:
Is Zarraga part of Iloilo?
โ
YES!
Is Zarraga part of Iloilo CITY?
โ NO.
Zarraga is a municipality in the PROVINCE OF ILOILO. (Iloilo Provincial Government)
That's why understanding the difference between Iloilo City and Iloilo Province isn't just geographyโit can also matter when interpreting government announcements, ordinances, holidays, and other official policies.
๐๏ธ ILOILO CITY
A highly urbanized city with its own city government and territorial jurisdiction.
๐พ ILOILO PROVINCE
A province made up of municipalities and cities, including Zarraga, which belongs to the province's 2nd District. (Iloilo Provincial Government)
Same name. Different local government jurisdictions.
And that's the part we don't want anyone to miss! ๐
๐ A LITTLE HISTORY: WHY AUGUST 25?
Iloilo City's Charter Day goes back to 1937, when the city was formally inaugurated as a chartered city.
The occasion became an important milestone in the development of Iloilo as an urban, commercial, cultural, and political center in Western Visayas.
But remember:
Charter Day = Iloilo CITY's anniversary.
It is not the anniversary of the entire Province of Iloilo.
๐๐ AND HERE'S THE BEAUTIFUL PART
Even if ZNHS is not covered by this particular city holiday, we can still use the occasion to appreciate the larger story of Iloiloโa place whose history and culture extend far beyond administrative boundaries.
From the Hiligaynon language we speakโฆ
๐ to the food we grew up eating,
๐ญ to our festivals and traditions,
๐งต to our weaving and craftsmanship,
๐๏ธ to our historic buildings and communities,
๐พ to the stories passed down by our familiesโ
Iloilo's culture is something worth knowing, preserving, and celebrating.
๐ THE LESSON BEHIND THE HOLIDAY
This isn't just about whether we get a day off.
It's about being informed.
In an age when information spreads within seconds, responsible learners don't simply read a headline and hit SHARE.
They:
๐ CHECK THE SOURCE.
๐ READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT.
๐ CHECK THE LOCATION COVERED.
๐ง UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT.
โ
VERIFY BEFORE SHARING.
Because sometimesโฆ
โIloiloโ doesn't mean โIloilo Province.โ
And sometimes, one wordโ CITY
โchanges everything.
๐ THE BOTTOM LINE, ZNHS LEARNERS:
๐จ AUGUST 25, 2026 IS A SPECIAL NON-WORKING DAY FOR ILOILO CITY โ NOT THE ENTIRE ILOILO PROVINCE.
๐ Iloilo City: Covered by Proclamation No. 1388
๐ Zarraga, Iloilo Province: Not covered by that proclamation
For our actual class schedule, please follow the official announcements issued by Zarraga National High School and the appropriate education authorities.
Let's celebrate history and practice responsible information sharing.
Know the place.
Know the history.
Know the difference.
Know your facts. ๐๐๐
PADAYON, ZNHS LEARNERS!
Official sources used: The Philippine Information Agency, carrying the Presidential Communications Office report, confirms that Proclamation No. 1388 specifically declares August 25 a special non-working day in the City of Iloilo. (Philippine Information Agency) The Iloilo Provincial Government confirms that Zarraga is a municipality in the Province of Iloilo. (Iloilo Provincial Government) Official DepEd records likewise distinguish schools under Iloilo from those under Iloilo City. (Department of Education)
Supreme Secondary Learner Government - Zarraga NHS | ZNHS Senior High School | ZNHS Alumni ASSOC.
(Infographic generated from ChatGPT, raw photos used from Google & DepEd Zarraga National High School, prompt byMissJen.)
