Senator Loren Legarda has co-sponsored a proposed measure declaring 5 August of every year a special non-working holiday in the Municipality of Anini-y, Province of Antique.

“Araw ng Anini-y is not merely a celebration of its independence from its former town; it is also a tribute to the rich history of Anini-y as one of the earliest settlements in Panay. This occasion honors its cultural heritage, the enduring progress of the municipality, and the remarkable triumphs of its people,” Legarda said in her speech at the Senate plenary.

Legarda, who previously served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, first filed this bill in the lower chamber during the previous Congress to recognize Anini-y’s rich cultural and historical significance.

In the present Congress, Representative Antonio Agapito “AA” Legarda Jr. and Representative Felimon Espares filed the measure, and Senator JV Ejercito, as Chairperson of the Committee on Local Government, sponsored it.

Anini-y, the southernmost municipality of Antique, is a town steeped in history. During the Spanish colonial era, it was an independent town with a Baroque church at its center. In 1840, it became an arabal (satellite community) of Dao, now known as Tobias Fornier. Later, under the American administration, Philippine Commission Act No. 961 of 1903 further integrated Anini-y into the Municipality of Dao.

It was not until 5 August 1949, through Executive Order No. 253 signed by President Elpidio Quirino, that Anini-y regained its independence as a separate municipality.