The House committee on revision of laws approved House Bill 7125, seeking to declare the last Monday of January every year a special working holiday to be known as “National Bible Day.”
The committee chaired by Rep. Marlyn Primicias Agabas passed the proposed “National Bible Day Act” authored by Rep. Rogelio Pacquiao. Pacquiao is the brother of Sen. Manny Pacquiao.
The bill declares as the policy of the State to aid and encourage the development of moral character and spiritual foundation of the Filipino people. As a Christian-majority nation, the Philippines recognizes the value of the Holy Bible as the core of the Christian faith, the bill further declares.
It is the policy of the State to aid and encourage the development of moral character and spiritual foundation of the Filipino people.
It seeks to further amend Administrative Code, Section 26, Chapter 7, Book 1 of Executive Order No. 292, otherwise known as “The Administrative Code of 1987,” as amended, so that the last Monday of January of every year shall be declared as a special working holiday to be known as “National Bible Day.”
Pacquiao said the bill aims to emphasize the holiness of “The Living Truth” by allotting a holiday for its celebration every last Monday of January, which shall be known as “National Bible Day.”
“This bill calls for all Christians throughout the archipelago to unite and celebrate the Bible as the cradle of faith,” the legislator said.
The Sarangani lawmaker noted the significance of the Holy Bible was recognized by former Presidents Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, and Fidel Ramos in Presidential Proclamations 2242, 44, and 1067, respectively.
“The proclamations were instrumental in establishing the last week of January of every year as the “National Bible Week”, he said.
Pacquiao cited that 90 percent of the Philippine population is Christian, based on the 2015 data of the National Statistics Authority (NSA).
This makes the country the largest Christian nation in the Asia-Pacific and the fifth largest in the world, according to the lawmaker.
“At the core of the Christian belief is the Bible, its Holy Book. Sermons and homilies of Christian churches dwell on its teachings. It forms and transforms the lives of people across generations. It serves as the foundation of spiritual, moral and social fiber, molding a socially responsible citizenry and a strong nation,” he said.