THE Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) group yesterday said the national anthem “Lupang Hinirang” is the “most fitting song for flag ceremonies,” as it criticized a Malacañang directive to include the “Bagong Pilipinas” hymn and pledge in the flag raising rites of government offices, other government instrumentalities, state-run universities and colleges, and local governmnent units (LGUs).
The TDC said the move is a “superficial attempt” to instill a brand of governance that is “unnecessary, impractical and reminiscent” of an attempt to indoctrinate the public during the martial law years
President Marcos Jr. has issued Memorandum Circular No. 52 directing all national government agencies, government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCSs), LGUs, and SUCs to sing and recite the Bagong Pilipinas hymn and pledge during their weekly flag raising ceremonies, supposedly to instill the principles of the Marcos administration among Filipinos.
Bagong Pilipinas is the brand of governance and leadership launched by the President last year.
The TDC said that instead of forcing Filipinos to adapt to the government’s brand of governance, it should “genuinely educate” schoolchildren about nationalism and patriotism through the exemplary lives of the country’s national leaders and heroes.
“True nationalism and patriotism cannot be enforced through hollow rituals or the blind worship of national symbols, let alone a piece of propaganda. Singing, dancing, or kneeling before statues or monuments does not embody true nationalism and patriotism,” TDC national chairperson Benjo Basas said in a statement.
“The most fitting song for our children and people to sing is our national anthem, especially its final line, ‘Ang mamatay nang dahil sa’yo,’ which embodies true love and sacrifice for the country – qualities that are unfortunately absent in many of our government officials,” the group added.
The group said the people in power have a duty to be responsive and responsible, exhibit genuine love for the country through their respect for human rights, adherence to the rule of law, and active fight against corruption.
“They must also foster social justice through meaningful actions and legislation, not through the forced singing of a propaganda song and the recital of a pledge that appears redundant,” TDC said.
The group also said that the best way to teach school children about nationalism and patriotism is for leaders to lead by example through their actions, policies, and dedication to public service.
“This is the kind of governance that will truly inspire and educate the youth,” the group said, adding that it “finds this move impractical, and unnecessary, and it is reminiscent of the political propaganda tactics seen during the Martial Law years.”
The ACT Teachers party-list group also pointed out that the Palace order is reminiscent of the government requiring the singing of the “Bagong Lipunan” hymn at flag ceremonies during the martial law period under the late President Ferdinand Marcos, the President’s father.
“It is reminiscent of Marcos Sr.’s directive then for people to sing praises to the Bagong Lipunan,” the group said.
It added that it would do well for Malacañang to rescind the order and focus its energy on addressing the prices of basic commodities and increasing the salaries of workers.
At the House, Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT) assailed the President’s directive.
“Is Pres. Marcos Jr. again imitating his dictator father and bringing back martial rule? His order is reminiscent of Marcos Sr.’s directive then for people to sing praises to the Bagong Lipunan,” said the militant lawmaker who is a member of the Makabayan bloc.
Like ACT, Castro said “it would be best for the President “to rescind this self-serving and martial law remnant of a memorandum circular.”
“It 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.
Castro warned that the order appears to be “an attempt to indoctrinate government personnel and the youth with the Marcos administration’s self-styled Bagong Pilipinas branding, reminiscent of the martial law period’s Bagong Lipunan propaganda.”
“Sa halip na ganitong mga gimik ang ginagawa dapat sana ay mas inilalaan ng administrasyong Marcos ang oras nito para pag-isipan at aksyunan paano solusyunan ang mga problema ng mamamayan gaya ng pagtaas ng sahod, pagpapababa ng presyo ng mga bilihin, pagtulong sa mga driver at operator na huwag mawalan ng hanapbuhay, at paglikha ng mga kalidad at regular na trabaho sa bansa (Instead of resorting to gimmicks like this, the administration should have used its time addressing the public’s problems such as the call for higher wages, lowering the prices of basic commodities, ensuring drivers and operators won’t lpse their jobs and creating quality and regular jobs in the country),” she said.
‘INCLUDING US?’
Senate President Francis Escudero yesterday ordered the Senate Secretariat to study if the Senate is mandated to include in its flag raising ceremonies the Bagong Pilipinas hymn and pledge as ordered by the President Marcos.
Escudero said that while he sees nothing wrong with including the hymn and pledge in the flag-raising program, the Senate is independent from the executive branch, thus he believes the memorandum covers only offices under the executive branch.
“Klaruhin ko lang ang memorandum na yun ay applicable sa executive branch ng pamahalaan kabilang ang mga GOCC. Bilang rule, hindi yan automatic na applicable sa Senado o sa Kamara, gayundin sa Korte Suprema at mga constitutional commissions.
Independent na desisyon nila kung gagamitin nila yan dahil ang sinusunod naming ang yung Flag and Heraldic Code na nagsasabi kung ano ang kakantahin kada flag ceremony
(Let me clarify that the memorandum is applicable only to the executive branch which includes the GOCCs. As a rule, it is not automatic that it is applicable to the Senate or the House of Representatives or even in the Supreme Court and the constitutional commissions. That will be an independent decision in our part if we will use it because what we follow is the Flag and Heraldic Code which says what will be sung during flag ceremonies),” Escudero said in a chance interview after attending his first flag raising ceremony as Senate president.
He said the Senate Secretariat will study the matter, noting that this is the first time since the Bagong Lipunan hymn during the time of President Marcos Sr. was required in flag raising ceremonies.
“Ito yata ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na ito’y mangyayari dahil nung ni-require yung Bagong Lipunan noon ay wala yatang Senado noon di ba? So, ngayon pa lang kung saka-sakali. So, ni-refer ko sa kanila para pag-aralan (I think this is the first time that this will happen because when the Bagong Lipunan hymn was required, we do not have a Senate that time. So, this will be first time, that’s why I referred it to the secretariat for them to study it),” he added.
LAW
Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III believes that a mere executive order is not enough to amend existing laws governing the national anthem and pledge in flag-raising ceremonies.
“I suggest that the Executive Branch should submit a bill containing those ideas (to sign a new song and recite a new pledge) to amend the existing laws… The EO is not sufficient. I believe a law is needed in order to authorize that,” Pimentel said in a message to the media.
He said that such a mandate should come from the people’s chosen representatives or the legislators.
He said the memorandum should not have mandated students to sing and recite the Bagong Pilipinas hymn and pledge since they are not government employees as “they all observe the established flag ceremony under existing law.”
Senate president pro tempore Jinggoy Estrada said that insofar as laws are concerned, the playing of the national anthem is governed by Section 38 of RA 9491 which stipulates that whenever the national anthem is played at a public gathering, it must adhere to the musical arrangement and composition of Julian Felipe, hence “attendees are expected to sing the anthem with fervor.”
He, however, said that MC No. 52 “is neither illegal nor irregular” as it merely aims to foster a culture of good governance and progressive leadership across all government levels. — With Wendell Vigilia and Raymond Africa
