BONTOC, Mountain Province – The province has a new provincial Logo!
Pursuant to the favorable endorsement of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), Provincial Ordinance No. 383 of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan entitled “An Ordinance updating the Coat of Arms or Logo of Mountain Province and Amending all Ordinances relative thereto” is made operative.
This development is an offshoot of a request from the Provincial Tourism Office to the SP to once and for all enact an ordinance formally adopting an official logo of the province.
It was reported that there are two official logos being used by the national line agencies that uses the logo made in 1972, through Resolution No. 440 of the Provincial Board, which has a red, yellow and blue emblem and another currently being used since 2005 by the provincial offices and the public but without any resolution or ordinance by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
This has put the province in a precarious situation with “two faces” and has caused dilemma to the line agencies and offices. Therefore, an official action from the SP is needed.
The one currently being used by provincial offices with 5 stars that represents the 5 defunct sub-provinces of the old Mountain Provinces, namely; Benguet, Bontoc, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Apayao. No ordinance was submitted to NHCP.
In the latest Ordinance, there are ten (10) stars that represent the 10 municipalities of the province and 144 beads encircling the warrior shield to represent the 144 barangays of the province.
The 3 “mountains” in the new logo that represent the eastern, central and western municipalities are similar in height unlike now as the center is higher than the two as it represent the capital town.
It was learned that the use of the latest logo is now allowed as the NHCP already gave its imprimatur.
Dr. Rene R. Escalante, Chairman of the NHCP, in a letter to Vice Governor Francis Tauli through Andrew Magwilang dated May 31, 2021, relayed their approval and asked that their office be informed of the final approval and implementation of the logo.
The SP was learned to have the same Ordinance as is and for implementation.
Andrew Magwilang, a staff at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, said that the effectivity of the latest Ordinance shall be reckoned with the approval of the same by the NHCP. Although the Ordinance stated that the effectivity shall be in accordance with Republic Act No. 7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 which is uncertain in essence.
One of the desires of the NHCP is for the municipalities to pattern their respective logos with the logo of the province.
Magwilang voiced out his sentiments and is now encouraging the LGUs to adopt similar logos patter after the provincial logo.
It was observed that most of the municipalities do not exhibit the shield as a major component of their respective logos.
Under the latest Ordinance, the logo shall be used by all offices within the province as a symbol of the province and letter head of official documents.
The prohibitions state that it shall be unlawful for anyone to use the seal or logo for personal purposes, display in any part of infomercials and advertisements except when undertaken by the provincial government.
Penalties for those who commit the prohibitions shall be meted the fine of P500 or imprisonment of 3 days or both at the discretion of the courts. By Roger Sacyaten