The province of Iloilo will join the 126th Independence Day parade in Manila on June 12, where it will showcase the role of Ilonggos in attaining freedom through its “Cry of Santa Barbara and Establishment of the Federal State of the Visayas” float.

“We are one the few provinces, LGUs (local government units) who will have a float in the Independence Day parade in Luneta. We will present the ‘Cry of Santa Barbara’ together with the town of Sta. Barbara,” Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said in a media interview on Tuesday.

He said the province is grateful and proud because only a few were selected to be part of the Independence Day celebration of Malacañang.

“This is historic for us because this is the first time that we were invited to join the parade at the national level,” he said.

Iloilo is one of the 10 LGUs with historical events leading to the establishment of the First Philippine Republic that were invited, the others being Candon City in Ilocos Sur, Cebu, Cavite, Aurora, Bulacan, Negros Occidental, Surigao del Norte, Jolo in Sulu Province, and Zamboanga City.

Santa Barbara tourism officer Irene Magallon said Iloilo’s float is No. 6 in the LGU float clusters, following the Cinco de Noviembre and the Establishment of the Negros Republic Float cluster represented by Bago City.

“That only signifies how important the historic event that took place in Sta. Barbara in 1898. We will carry this experience through our lifetime,” she said in a separate interview.

The “Cry of Santa Barbara” held on Nov. 17, 1898 marked the formal inauguration of the Revolutionary Government in Visayas led by local hero Gen. Martin Delgado. It was also the first time the Philippine flag was hoisted outside of Luzon.

Before the inauguration of the revolutionary government, Magallon said there were other series of meetings in some parts of Visayas – including the Cry of Jelicuon in New Lucena town, Cry of Lincud in Dingle, 19 Martyrs of Aklan, and the Battle of Balisong in Capiz, among others – such that there is a need for the Visayas to organize.

“They chose the land to gather and organize, that it is about time for them to fight against the Spaniards,” she said.

The parade of floats will follow after the military parade. There will also be 10 floats from national government agencies after the LGU cluster.

The delegation from Iloilo will be led by Defensor and Vice Governor Christine Garin. (PNA)