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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bill declaring March 17 as 'Homonhon Landing Day' breezes through House

Bill declaring March 17 as 'Homonhon Landing Day' breezes through House

Published May 27, 2026 03:19 pm

At A Glance

  • House approves on third and final reading HB No. 122, declaring March 17 of every year as Homonhon Landing Day and a special non-working holiday in Eastern Samar.
  • Bill commemorates Magellan's landing in 1521, recognizing it as a significant historical event that marked the spread of Christianity in Asia and the beginning of globalization.
  • Measure tasks agencies to organize reenactments, exhibits, and cultural programs in coordination with the provincial government, highlighting Eastern Samar's cultural and historical heritage.
The House plenary (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
The House plenary (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


House Bill (HB) No. 122--the measure that seeks to declare March 17 of every year as "Homonhon Landing Day"--has been overwhelmingly approved on third and final reading.
The bill gained 224 affirmative votes during the marathon plenary session on Tuesday, May 26. None of the congressmen present entered a negative vote, while there was one abstention.
Among the first measures to be filed in the current 20th Congress, the bill also seeks to declare March 17 as a special non-working holiday in Easter Samar.
It seeks to commemorate the landing of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan on Homonhon island in Eastern Samar in 1521.
The measure is authored by Eastern Samar lone district Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales; House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan, also an Eastern Samareño; and Aklan 2nd district Rep. Florencio Miraflores.
The bill states that Magellan’s landing on Homonhon island on March 17, 1521 was “a significant historical event".
It “marked the beginning of the modern era of globalization, as well as the onset of the spread of Christianity in Asia, as a result of the eventual first circumnavigation of the world", HB No. 122 stated.
The authors said the commemoration of Magellan’s landing in Homonhon would highlight the “cultural and historical heritage of the Filipino people, particularly the Province of Eastern Samar".
“The observance of Homonhon Landing Day will provide an opportunity for Filipinos to reflect on our rich cultural heritage and the enduring impact of Christianity in our country,” Gonzales, a neophyte lawmaker, said.
“By commemorating this day, we are not only paying homage to our past but also reinforcing our collective identity and the values that unite us as a people,” he added.
When Magellan circumnavigated the globe, his three surviving ships anchored off Homonhon, where his crew rested and resupplied for eight days. They then sailed to Limawasa in Southern Leyte, Butuan in Agusan del Norte, and finally Cebu, where Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan.
The proposed law tasks the provincial government, in coordination with the National Historical Commission (NHC), Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), and other relevant agencies, to lead the organization and implementation of various activities and programs in observance of Homonhon Landing Day.
Such activities would include historical reenactments, educational and cultural exhibits, and other events that promote the historical significance of Magellan’s landing.

Related Tags

Third and final reading House of Representatives Eastern Samar Ferdinand Magellan Homonhon Landing Day
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