Senate approves bill declaring Sept 8 as special working holiday for birth of Blessed Virgin Mary

May 20, 2019

The Senate Monday approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to declare September 8 as a special working holiday to commemorate the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

House Bill No. 7856, otherwise known as An Act Declaring September 8 of Every Year a Special Working Holiday in the Entire Country to Commemorate the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was approved with 19 affirmative votes, zero negative vote and no abstention.

The measure was authored by Representatives Rodolfo Fariñas, Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, Joseph Stephen Paudano, Emi Calixto-Rubiano and Gus Tambunting.

In 2017, President Rodrigo Dueterte signed Republic Act 10966 declaring Dec. 8 a special non-working holiday to commemorate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

A pre-dominantly Catholic country, the Philippines celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception which is also a holy day of obligation.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the belief that Mary was born without sin and that God chose her to be Jesus'mother. DMS