House panel OKs Pacquiao bill declaring last Monday of January ‘National Bible Day’

The House Committee on Revision of Laws has approved a measure seeking to declare the last Monday of January every year a special working holiday which will be known as "National Bible Day."

House Bill 7125, authored by Saranggani Representative Rogelio Pacquiao, brother of Senator Manny Pacquiao, declares it a policy of the state to encourage development of moral character and spiritual foundation of Filipinos.

As a predominantly Christian nation, the bill states that the Philippines recognizes the value of the Holy Bible as the cornerstone of the Christian faith.

The bill seeks to amend Section 26, Chapter 7, Book 1 of the Administrative Code of 1987, as amended, in order for the last Monday of January every year be declared as a special working holiday.

In filing the measure, Pacquiao emphasized the holiness of "The Living Truth" by alloting a holiday for its celebration.

“This [bill] calls for all Christians throughout the archipelago to unite and celebrate the Bible as the cradle of faith,” he said in the explanatory note of his bill.

The lawmaker also pointed out that 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.

According to a 2015 data of the National Statistics Authority, 90 percent of Filipinos are Christians.

Pacquiao said this makes the Philippines the largest Christian nation in the Asia-Pacific region and the fifth largest in the world.

“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," he said.

"It serves as the foundation of spiritual, moral and social fiber, molding a socially responsible citizenry and a strong nation,” he added. — MDM, GMA News