Isabela City, Basilan Celebrates Fiesta Santa Isabel 2013

Sta. Isabel Cathedral of Isabela City, Basilan

Happy Fiesta to the people of Isabela City, capital of the Province of Basilan, as they celebrate today, July 8, 2013, their town fiesta in honor of their patron saint, Sta. Isabel de Portgal. We wish you a more peaceful and progressive Isabela City under the leadership of Mayor Cherrylyn Santos-Akbar.

Detail of the Mosaic Altar of Sta. Isabel Cathedral, Isabela City, Basilan

In line with the celebrations, the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines declared Monday, 8 July 2013, as a special (non-working) day in the City of Isabela by virtue of Proclamation No. 596 which reads:

WHEREAS, Monday, 8 July 2013, marks the celebration of the town fiesta of the City of Isabela, Basilan, in honor of its patron saint, Santa Isabel de Portugal;

WHEREAS, it is but fitting and proper that the people of the City of Isabela, Basilan be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR., Executive Secretary, by authority of His Excellency, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, do hereby declare Monday, 8 July 2013, as a special (non-working) day in the City of Isabela, Province of Basilan.

Isabela City was named after Queen Isabella II of Spain and its patron saint is Sta. Isabel de Portugal. Roughly half of the population of the city belongs to the Roman Catholic Church with the Sta. Isabel Cathedral as the seat of the Prelature of Isabela de Basilan.