BY WENDELL VIGILIA and ASHZEL HACHERO
THE leadership of the House of Representatives will abide by Malacañang’s order for government agencies to recite the “Bagong Pilipinas” hymn and pledge.
The Senate is in no hurry to implement the Palace directive even if Senate President Francis Escudero said he is not personally against it.
“I personally see no problem including it in the flag-raising ceremony but we are still in the process of having it studied by the Secretariat,” Escudero said yesterday.
“I have yet to receive their recommendation and or comments,” he added.
Escudero made the statements as House yesterday released a memorandum from House Secretary General Reginald Velasco saying, “all departments and offices are hereby enjoined to recite the Bagong Pilipinas Hymn and Pledge during the monthly flag-raising ceremony.”
Escudero earlier said the Palace directive applies only to the Executive branch. He said the Senate, the House, Supreme Court, and other constitutional commissions are not required to follow the order.
Velasco, in the memorandum dated June 26, said the Marcos Jr. administration’s new campaign “aims to empower Filipinos to actively support and participate in comprehensive government initiatives, fostering profound fundamental social and economic transformation across all sectors of society and government.”
The Palace last month directed all government agencies, including state universities and colleges (SUCs), government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCSs) and local government units (LGUs) “to instill the principles of the Marcos administration among Filipinos.”
Bagong Pilipinas is the brand of governance and leadership launched by President Marcos Jr. in 2023. It is characterized by a principled, accountable and dependable government, reinforced by unified institutions of society and envisioned to empower Filipinos to support and participate in all government efforts in an all-inclusive plan towards deep and fundamental social and economic transformation in all sectors of society and government;
The directive is the gist of Memorandum Circular 52 signed on June 4 by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
Section 18 of Republic Act (RA) No. 8491, or the “Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines,” directs all government offices, including LGUs, to conduct a flag raising ceremony every Monday morning and flag lowering ceremony every Friday afternoon.
Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT), a member of the militant Makabayan bloc at the House, has assailed the Executive’s directive, saying it is “reminiscent of Marcos Sr.’s directive then for people to sing praises to the Bagong Lipunan (New Society).”
Castro has said the order “is yet another way to deodorize the Marcos name brand and revise history.”
“We should just stick with the Lupang Hinirang and Panatang Makabayan,” she said.
