SEN. PACQUIAO PUSHES APPROVAL OF "NATIONAL BIBLE DAY" BILL

SENATE - Senator Manny Pacquiao is pushing for the passage of Senate Bill 1270 seeking the declaration of the last Monday of January as "National Bible Day."

"Malapit nang maaprobahan ng Senado ang aking panukala. I am confident na hindi tayo mahihirapang ipasa ito sa Lower House. Wala tayong ibang hangad kundi lalo pang palakasin at patibayin ang spiritual foundation ng sambayanang Pilipino," Senator Pacquiao said.

As soon as the final kink on SB 1270 is ironed out, the measure will have no problem hurdling the second and final reading.

On Tuesday, the period of interpellation for Senate Bill 1270 had already been terminated after Sen. Pacquiao managed to answer clarificatory questions hurled by Sen. Franklin Drilon.

Sen. Pacquiao thanked the veteran lawmaker from Iloilo for his wisdom and for raising levelheaded points during the interpellation.

"I have high respect and admiration on Sen. Drilon as a veteran legislator," Sen. Pacquiao said.

Sen. Pacquiao was proposing that the National Bible Day be considered as special non-working holiday.

But Sen. Drilon objected citing not just the financial implications involving employers and employees but also the final committee report which stated the National Bible Day as mere special working holiday.

The senator from Mindanao, however, stated that he is amenable to any compromise just to expedite the passage of said bill.

Activities and programs that would educate people on the utmost importance of reading the Bible will be staged in schools, churches, even government offices, including several media platforms during the National Bible Day celebration.

The Bible, according to Sen. Pacquiao, is the guidebook to eternal salvation.

"We must read the Bible everyday to strengthen our moral fiber and spiritual foundation," Sen. Pacquiao stressed.

About 93 percent of Filipinos are Christians and the Philippines has been recognized as Asia's leading Christian country.

Making the Bible the bedrock of our Christian life would help create a Philippine society with god-centered governance and people-centered services.