Legarda Files Bill to Make Chinese New Year a Special Working Holiday

SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA RECENTLY FILED A BILL TO DECLARE CHINESE NEW YEAR AS A SPECIAL WORKING HOLIDAY IN THE PHILIPPINES.
“The Filipino-Chinese have played a key role in the economic and cultural development of the Philippines. This bill seeks to recognize the immeasurable contribution of the Filipino Chinese community in our country and strengthen the Filipino-Chinese amity by declaring the day on which the Chinese New Year falls each year as a special working Holiday throughout the entire Philippines,” she explained.
Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities, noted that at present, the ethnic Chinese and the Filipinos with Chinese ancestry make up about 1.3% and 22%, respectively of the country’s population.
“Their known acumen in entrepreneurship and solidarity with their host country—as expressed in their volunteer organizations, have continued to strengthen ties among various communities,” she remarked.
“Given the commercial and cultural linkages that have been forged between Filipinos and Chinese, it is fitting that we declare Chinese New Year as a special working Holiday,” Legarda stressed.
The Senator has been seeking ways to “find unity among diversity” especially among Filipinos who have different culture, beliefs, and groups. She authored the Eid’l Fitr Holiday Law which decreed that the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar be made into a national holiday for the observance of Eid’l Fitr.
Last month, Legarda also filed a bill declaring the first week of February as “World Interfaith Harmony Week” in the Philippines, which aims to build genuine understanding among people of different faiths and belief systems.
Legarda Naghain ng Panukalang Batas Para Itakdang “Special Working Holiday” ang Chinese New Year
October 07, 2012
SA LAYUNING KILALANIN ANG NAGING KONTRIBUSYON NG MGA FILIPINO-CHINESE SA PAGHUBOG NG ATING BANSA, NAGHAIN SI SENADOR LOREN LEGARDA NG PANUKALANG BATAS NA MAGTATAKDANG “SPECIAL WORKING HOLIDAY” ANG CHINESE NEW YEAR.
“Importante ang naging papel ng mga Filipino-Chinese sa pagpupunyagi at paghulma ng ating ekonomiya at kultura. Nais ng panukalang batas na ito na kilalanin ang napakalaking kontribusyon ng ating mga kababayang Filipino Chinese at patuloy na pagtibayin ang magandang relasyon sa pamamagitan ng pagtakda sa Chinese New Year na ‘special working holiday’ kada taon, sa buong Pilipinas,” ayon sa Senador.
Ayon kay Legarda, Chair ng Senate Committee on Cultural Communities, 1.3% ng ating populasyon ay ethnic Chinese, samantalang 22% ang Pilipinong may dugong Tsino.
“Ang kanilang galing sa pagnenegosyo at kumpiyansa sa ating bansa ay patuloy na nagpapatitibay ng ating relasyon sa iba’t ibang komunidad,” dagdag ng Senador.
“Naniniwala akong nararapat lang na ideklarang special working holiday ang Chinese New Year ,” ayon kay Legarda.
Ang Senador ay patuloy na naghahanap ng iba’t ibang paraan upang patuloy na mapagtibay at mapagbuklod ang mga Pilipinong galing sa iba’t ibang kultura, paniniwala at grupo.
Siya ang may-akda ng Eid’l Fitr Holiday Law, na nagtakda sa unang araw ng Shawwal, ang pang-sampung buwan ng Islamic Calendar, bilang piyesta opisyal para sa paggunita ng Eid’l Fitr.
Naghain rin si Legarda ng panukalang batas na magtatakda sa unang linggo ng Pebrero na “World Interfaith Harmony Week”. Ito ay naglalayong bumuo ng pagkilala at malalim na pang-unawa sa pagitan ng iba’t ibang indibidwal na may magkakaibang paniniwala at relihiyon.