The Municipality of San Miguel, headed by Mayor Claudio Bonior and Vice-Mayor Jonathan Reyes, will observe its 54th Charter Week celebration starting today, highlighted by medical/dental mission, inauguration of newly-completed projects, mass wedding, variety show, concert party with CenterStage band, and more.
This year’s celebration bears the theme “Kausaban sa Panahon, Kahigayonan ug Kalig-on” and will kick-off today, March 8, with the Women’s Day observance, and Farmers’ Day tomorrow, March 9. On Tuesday, March 10, is the Barangay Officials Day, with a free concert at the town gym in the evening, featuring hot party band, CenterStage, coordinated by Kag. Gerry Garay.
On Wednesday, March 11, there is a mass church wedding and the final game of volleyball for women. The medical and dental clinic is on March 12, Thursday; while on March 13, Friday, is a pre-employment orientation of students and info drive in San Miguel Tech Voc School and Mahayag National High School; with a Variety Show in the evening, featuring local and Cebu talents/performers. On March 14, Saturday, is the culmination program of the weeklong celebration. `
San Miguel long ago was known as the hunting ground of people of nearby towns, and later on become a small settlement along the Cambangay River named Cambangay Sur, a barrio then under Talibon and later on of Trinidad town. Civilization gradually grew as migrants from different places came in upon knowing the fertility of its vast land and decided to live permanently therein.
Cambangay, its former name originated from the word “Bangay” a kind of weed that thrive in the locality. A farmer was weeding at the time when a Spanish Soldier came and asked for the name of the weed , he answered “ bangay”. Happy to know, the soldier exclaimed “ Come Bangay “ since then the people started calling the place Cambangay.
It was on March 14, 1961, that the late President Carlos P. Garcia signed Executive Order No. 423, creating the town of San Miguel which was named after three Miguels, Saint Michael Archangel, its patron saint; the late Miguel Cambangay, a local political bigwig; and the late Miguel Cresino, a local stalwart and known to be the bravest among the natives of the place.