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President Gloria Arroyo trivialized Independence Day
by moving its observance from June 12 to June 9, Senate Minority
Leader Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. said Tuesday.
“June 12 is a holy day to us,
Filipinos, and should not be cheapened by transferring its
observance to another day,” he said in a privileged speech.
He acknowledged that there is a
law allowing the President to move certain holidays to other dates.
“Still, prudence dictates that
such a meaningful event as our Independence Day should not be moved
cavalierly as if it is a day to celebrate Father’s Day or
Mother’s Day,” he added.
He said Independence Day should
be celebrated on June 12, the day of the birth of the Filipino
nation.
Sen. Joker Arroyo defended the
action of the President as “in accordance with the law” and
lashed at senators who did not even attend the committee hearings on
the bills on movable holidays.
“People should attend committee
hearings so that when a law is passed, they could no longer
complain,” he said.
Arroyo was chairman of the Senate
Committee on Revision of Codes and Laws that sponsored the bill on
movable holidays.
He said the law included
Independence Day among the holidays that could be moved to the
nearest Monday to create a long weekend, instead of having
sandwiched days that were usually declared special holidays.
He said the Senate bill was
drafted in consultation with the National Historical Institute,
labor and other sectors, and that it was adopted in its entirety by
the House.
“The President merely obeyed
the law to move the holiday to the nearest Monday. This is the
modern practice. I will not argue whether it is good or bad,”
Arroyo said.
Pimentel replied that he was
referring only to the observance of Independence Day and not on
other legal holidays.
“I am not aware of any nation
moving the celebration of its Independence Day to another day,” he
contended.
--Efren L. Danao
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