Bible reading in schools should be optional —CBCP leader

Out of respect for the different faiths of students, bible reading in schools should be optional, not mandatory, a leader of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said. 

Bishop Pablo David, CBCP vice president, issued the statement in response to House Bill 2069 filed by House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante Jr. seeking to make Bible reading mandatory in all public elementary and secondary schools.

While acknowledging the bill, David noted that it is important to respect the different faiths of students like Muslims and Buddhists.

The CBCP leader suggested making Bible reading an elective subject in schools instead to give some students the chance to exercise their respective faiths.

Meanwhile, CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Biblical Apostolate head and Cabanatuan Bishop Sofronio Bancud tagged the proposed bill as good news.

“Magandang initiative 'yan, kasi kung i-allow 'yan sa mga schools, napakaganda niyan sa paghuhubog ng isip at puso ng ating kabataan," Bancud said in an interview on Radio Veritas.

CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Youth executive secretary Fr. Conegundo Garganta said House Bill 2069 will help the ministry of the Church in sharing God’s word.

The bill proposes that English and Filipino subjects in public elementary and secondary schools include the reading of, discussion and examination on the Bible.

In case of Muslim students, the same subjects will include the study of Quran.

"Ipagdasal natin ang lahat ng ating mambabatas nang sa gayon ay kanilang matapat na magampanan ang ipinagkatiwalang katungkulan para sa kapakanan ng lahat," Bancud said. —LDF, GMA News