The demand came as townsfolk, the business community, students and teachers joined hands to reject the  executive order and press for the return of Aurora to Region 4.

According to Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo and Vice-Gov. Annabel Tangson, they will reiterate their earlier request for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to recall Executive Order No. 103, issued on May 27, 2002, which transferred Aurora from Region 4, or Southern Tagalog, to  Region 3 or Central Luzon. 

Castillo said Aurora is “emotionally, culturally and historically a part of  Quezon, and which for five centuries, the people of Aurora, known collectively as Aurorans, have shared deep cultural and religious ties with what used to be known as Tayabas province.” 

Tayabas is now known as Quezon, which was named in honor of the late President Manuel Quezon.
On the other hand, Aurora, which used to be a sub-province, was also named in honor of Aurora Quezon, the widow of the President.

Castillo said “there is no Aurora without Quezon.”

She added that Aurora used to be a part of the Diocese of Infanta and has deep linguistic, cultural and historical ties with Quezon.

Born Aurora Aragon, Mrs. Quezon married Manuel Quezon of Baler, who eventually became President of the Commonwealth,

Even before the issuance of the EO, some onational government agencies had already been under the control of Central Luzon, among them the Philippine National Police (PNP), Government Service Insurance System  (GSIS), National Food Authority (NFA), PhilHealth, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC). 

Castillo protested the transfer of supervisory control over Aurora to Region 3, saying it was done without genuine consultation with Aurorans who are unanimously in maintaining their affiliation to Region 4.

She said that instead of boosting economic growth for Aurora, the transfer would only block development efforts already being pursued in the sub-regional group Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (Calabarzon), to which Aurora belonged.

Region 3 is comprised of the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales and Nueva Ecija. 

Comprising Region 4 are the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro,  Occidental Mindora, Palawan, Quezon, Rizal and Romblon. 

Vice Governor Tangson likened Arroyo’s move as one separating husband and  wife, pointing out that if the government is sincere in developing the  province, it could be done by allowing the province to stay in the region where it really belongs.

Presiding over the provincial board, Tangson said she  expects all municipal councils to pass their respective resolutions requesting the recall of the EO by the end of the year.