The House of Representatives passed anew on final reading a bill declaring September 11 of each year a special non-working holiday in Ilocos Norte in commemoration of the birth anniversary of the late former President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
On Wednesday, the House voted 198 affirmative and eight negative to again give its imprimatur to the proposed Ilocos Norte holiday to be known as “President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Day.” One lawmaker did not participate in the voting.
It will be recalled that a similar bill, authored by then Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas, was approved during the 17th Congress. However, the Senate failed to pass on time its version of the measure.
House Bill 7137 consolidates two separate legislative measures filed by Ilocos Norte Reps. Angelo Marcos-Barba and Ria Christina G. Farinas and Probinsyano Ako Rep. Rudys Caesar G. Farinas.
The House Committee on Local Governments chaired by Tarlac Rep. Noel Villanueva endorsed the approval of HB 7137.
Barba, a grandson of the late Marcos, said Ilocos Norte is proud of having produced the 10th President of the Philippines and the lone chief executive to be “elected twice by the people."
“President Marcos laid the foundation for nation-building. Under his leaderhsip, we were ahead of our time in agriculture, education, infrastructure, energy production and foreign policy,” the neophyte solon said.
In pushing for approval of the bill originally filed by their father, Ria and Rudys said that during his 20-year tenure as president, Marcos’s “advocacies focused on building infrastructure, roads, hospitals and other societal services.”
"For the people of Ilocos Norte, the young and promising Marcos has brought pride to the province and served as inspiration for young leaders to exemplify his leadership and governance administration,” the two solon said in the explanatory note of their bill.