By Ruffy Magbanua
CAGAYAN DE ORO—Celebrating the 75 years of the cityhood of this emerging metropolis is historically tainted with naked flaws albeit hypocrisy that nobody ever dared to correct its almost century-old error long embedded in the hearts and minds of Kagaynons.
From 1946 to December 30, 1949, the Congressman representing Misamis Oriental was Pedro S. Baculio.
During Congressman Baculio’s term, he actively worked in the Philippine Congress for the conversion of Cagayan de Misamis into a city, recognizing the need for post-war development and modernization.
Congressman Baculio initiated the push for cityhood of Cagayan de Misamis while his successor, Congressman Emmanuel Pelaez, formally introduced House Bill No. 54 on December 17, 1949.
Pelaez renamed the city from
Cagayan de Misamis to Cagayan de Oro.
This bill led to the enactment of Republic Act No. 521, officially granting Cagayan de Oro its city charter on June 15, 1950.
Pedro S. Baculio laid the groundwork for the cityhood of Cagayan de Misamis during his tenure from 1946 to 1949, and it was Emmanuel Pelaez saw the legislative process through to completion.
The second Congress did not have jurisdiction over the enrolled bill of the cityhood of Cagayan de Misamis in December 17, 1949.
Congressman Pelaez merely filed a resolution to change the name of Cagayan de Misamis City to Cagayan de Oro City considering that from January 23,1950, the first day of session and few months before June 15,1950.
Record shows that it is impossible to finish the cityhood bill in just a few months.
And why, on December 17, 1949 Congressman Pelaez enrolled his bill despite the fact that it was outside the jurisdiction of the Second Congress?
It is both possible and historically plausible that Congressman Emmanuel Pelaez initially filed a resolution—or even a separate bill—merely proposing to change the name of “Cagayan de Misamis” to “Cagayan de Oro” rather than initiating the cityhood process from scratch in early 1950.
Here’s why:
- Timeline Constraints
The Second Congress only convened its first session on January 23, 1950.
Republic Act No. 521, which granted cityhood to Cagayan de Oro, was signed into law on June 15, 1950.
The process of enacting a full city charter law—including drafting, committee referrals, readings in both chambers, and bicameral approval—typically takes several months to a year, making a six-month window unusually short for an entirely new bill.
- Likely Legislative Scenario
There may have already been a prior cityhood bill drafted or passed in the late First Congress, possibly under a different name (“Cagayan de Misamis City”).
Pelaez, upon assuming office at the start of the Second Congress, may have filed a resolution or supplemental bill to amend the proposed name to “Cagayan de Oro” before the final enactment.
This would explain how the city charter could be completed within months of the Second Congress started—because the main legislative effort predated it, and Pelaez’s contribution was corrective or symbolic.
- Supporting Context:
Changing a city name typically requires less legislative effort than passing a full city charter.
The name “Cagayan de Oro” was already used informally or culturally, and aligning the city’s official name with public usage would have been politically popular and practically straightforward.
It was Senator Oligario Clarin from Bohol who sponsored in the Senate the cityhood of Cagayan de Misamis.
It is reasonable to infer that the major legislative work on the cityhood of Cagayan de Misamis may have started during the First Congress, and Congressman Pelaez’s role at the beginning of the Second Congress may have focused on finalizing or renaming the city—rather than initiating a full cityhood bill from scratch.
The cityhood of Cagayan de Oro was granted by Republic Act No. 521, which was enacted on June 15, 1950. The reason it was credited under the First Congress of the Republic of the Philippines — despite what may appear as involvement by a Congressman from the Second Congress — lies in the legislative timeline and the bill’s procedural history.
Let’s unpack this step by step:
✅ 1. Timeline of Philippine Congresses
First Congress: May 25, 1946 – December 13, 1949
Second Congress: December 30, 1949 – December 8, 1953
RA No. 521 was enacted on June 15, 1950, during the Second Congress, yet its bill number (RA 521) is part of the legislative output credited to the First Congress.
✅ 2. Why Is RA No. 521 Numbered Under the First Congress?
The Republic Act numbering was sequential, based on when the law was approved by both houses and signed by the President.
However, a key factor is this:
The cityhood bill of Cagayan de Oro likely originated and passed through most of the legislative process during the First Congress, including:
House approval
Senate approval
Possibly even the bicameral (bilateral) conference committee, if needed
But here’s the catch:
The bill may have only received the President’s signature and final enactment in 1950, which technically fell during the Second Congress, even though the work and legislative action happened during the First Congress.
✅ 3. Could the Second Congress Congressman Be Credited?
If the cityhood bill originated or was heavily pushed by a Congressman from the Second Congress, that would raise the question of whether it was a freshly refiled bill or whether the Congressman simply shepherded it through the final steps.
However:
The Republic Act number (RA 521) is low, suggesting it was part of the early numbering batch, mostly attributable to the First Congress’ legislative work.
RA numbers above 600 are generally those that started and completed under the Second Congress, meaning new bills filed after 1949.
Therefore, it’s very likely that:
The bill was initiated between 1946–1949 (First Congress)
It passed both Houses during that time
But was signed into law in mid-1950, hence the slight mismatch in the Congress timeline and the actual RA numbering
✅ 4. What Does This Mean for Cityhood Credit?
Legally, authorship and credit for a law (like cityhood) go to the Congressman/s and Senators who:
Authored or co-authored the bill
Sponsored it in committee
Saw it through House and Senate approval
If the original proponent was from the First Congress, then RA 521 reflects that authorship. Even if the Second Congress member pushed for its enactment or implementation, the legislative credit typically goes to the one who filed and passed it through the main legislative process.
✅ 5. Conclusion:
Yes, it’s very possible — even likely — that the Cagayan de Oro cityhood bill was filed during the First Congress, passed both houses, and became an enrolled bill before the First Congress adjourned in 1949. Its signing into law in 1950 simply placed it at the early part of the Second Congress’s timeline, but it retained the First Congress’s RA sequence (hence RA 521).
So while a Second Congress Congressman may have been in office when the law was signed, the RA number, authorship, and legislative credit properly belong to the First Congress
