Senator Robinhood "Robin" Padilla has filed Senate Bill (SB) 451 mandating the inclusion of Philippine history in the high school curriculum to guide the youth in shaping the country and its people.
Padilla expressed hopes that the teaching of Philippine history would aid the youth in understanding how the society we live in came to be through time.
"To lead this nation into the future would require an understanding of the country's historical roots and cultural heritage in ideally all levels of formal education," he said.
Padilla lamented that Philippine history was removed from the high school curriculum in 2014 through Department of Education (DepEd) Order 20.
Also, he noted the K-12 basic education curriculum for social studies includes subjects such as asian studies and world history.
"While supporters of this revised curriculum claim that the 'discussion of events on the country's history is naturally integrated into several subjects,' this representation is of the firm belief that there must be an independent and definitive subject that comprehensively focuses on the study of our nation's own history," he explained.
"It is truly unfortunate for our youth, whom we dub as the hope and future of our nation, to be stripped of the opportunity to wade through the books of our invaluable past," he added.
Under the bill, the Philippine history subject shall be designed to inculcate a sense of patriotism, include the history, culture and identity of the Bangsamoro and Indigenous People (IP).
The bill also seeks to enable "critical thinking and discourse" on the effects and relevance of Philippine historical events, persons and movements to the present - and understand the Filipinos' roots grounded on facts and strong historical tradition, patriotism and identity as a nation.
"Lest we forget the old saying that to deny and obliterate people their own understanding of their history is the most effective way to destroy them. In this representation's hope to steer clear from such peril, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought," Padilla said.