neighboring municipalities as well. On July 28–30, 2008, the city was chosen to host the first National Conference for Philippine-Spanish Relations. The conference's theme was "Philippine-Spanish Relations: Sharing Common History and Culture." This is a project both of the Province of Bulacan's research arm, Center for Bulacan Studies of Bulacan State University and by the Samahang Pangkasaysayan ng Bulacan, Incorporated. Cityhood The charter of the City of Malolos was first passed through Republic Act 8754 on November 4, 1999. The bill's author was then Rep. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado. A plebiscite was conducted on December 18, 1999, where the votes "not" in favor of cityhood won. During the plebiscite, the clash between the pro and anti-cityhood groups reached the peak when the allegedly fraud done by the antis to manipulate the results in able to win the "No" votes gathering 11,535 count against 9,321 "Yes" votes. Due to the electoral fraud on Malolos cityhood plebiscite, then Congressman Wilhelmino Alvarado and then Mayor Restituto Roque filed an electoral protest at the Commission on Elections dated December 29, 1999, to recount the results of the plebiscite. The recount reversed the initial decision and the Commission found out that 10,746 votes approved the cityhood and only 8,402 against the conversion. The protest was granted by the Second Division of Commission on Elections, per Resolution No. Election Protest Case 99–2, October 8, 2001, the COMELEC affirmed that the "YES" vote won so the Cityhood of Malolos is valid as of December 18, 1999. In 2010, the Malolos City Council passes the City Resolution 24-2010 declaring December 18 of every year to be celebrated as Cityhood Day. The invalidation of R.A 9591 the Lone District of Malolos Act On December 19, 2007, then Senator Mar Roxas introduced and filed Senate Bill 1986 that seeks to amend section 57 of Republic Act 8754, the component law converting Malolos from a municipality to a component city. The bill was read on First Reading and Referred to the Committee on Rules on the same day as it was filed. On May 13, 2008, it was referred to the Committee on Local Government, on motion of Senator Francis Pangilinan. On October 6, 2008, the bill was sponsored by Senator Benigno S. Aquino III, and co-sponsored by Senators Richard J. Gordon and Mar Roxas. In the House of the Representatives, House Bill 3693 was filed on March 4, 2008, by then