Pimentel, Hontiveros hit Bagong Pilipinas hymn singing at Senate flag ceremony

The two-person Senate minority bloc on Monday expressed their opposition to the singing of the administration's Bagong Pilipinas Hymn during the Senate's flag ceremony.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III raised this concern during the Senate's plenary session, saying the Senate is not covered by the "invalid" memorandum circular issued by Malacañang which directed all national government agencies and educational institutions to make the “Bagong Pilipinas” (New Philippines) hymn and pledge a part of weekly flag ceremonies.

"I was informed that this morning, the Senate officially adopted the singing and the recital of the Bagong Pilipinas hymn and pledge in our flag ceremony," Pimentel manifested.

"'Di na nga tayo kasali doon, actually nag-volunteer pa tayong sumama. Invalid na nga, 'di tayo covered, sumama pa tayo," he said.

(We are already not covered by that memorandum circular. We're already not covered by it, but still we joined it.)

The Bagong Pilipinas hymn reflects the "brand of governance" of the Marcos Jr. administration, also called "Bagong Pilipinas" and unveiled in 2023 when President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. ordered all national government agencies and instrumentalities, including state universities and colleges (SUCs), to adopt the “Bagong Pilipinas” campaign in planning all their programs and activities; and use its logo in their letterheads, websites, official social media accounts, and other documents and instruments pertaining to flagship programs of the government.

Flag and Heraldic Code

Pimentel, a lawyer, explained that Republic Act 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code, where the national anthem and the pledge of allegiance to the Philippine flag were written word for word, was enacted into law so that "nothing is added to nor subtracted from what is sung or recited during the flag ceremony."

He noted that memorandum circular cited as its basis Section 19 of the RA 8491, which states that the "Office of the President upon the recommendation of the Institute shall issue rules and regulations for the proper conduct of the flag ceremony."

However, Pimentel said, the section does not give the OP "carte blanche in the determination of what shall be sung or recited during the flag ceremony."

"This is because the law itself has already mandated what should be sung and recited. Nowhere in [RA] 8491 is it provided that the Office of the President shall have the authority to create or even add a new hymn and pledge whose words, lyrics are not known [to] the public or not even debated on the floor of the Senate or the floor of the House of Representatives," he pointed out.

Pimentel reiterated that only though a law that amends RA 8491 that the singing and the recital of the Bagong Pilipinas Hymn and pledge could be mandated.

"When you are forced to sing a hymn, forced to recite a pledge, this already involves the way of thinking, your way of thinking, the way of thinking of our people. If you do this every Monday every flag ceremony, somehow you get influenced by what you are singing, what you are pledging to or about," the minority leader pointed out.

Since this influences the Filipino people, Pimentel said, the mandate should emanate from the people's chosen representative, like the legislators, through a law.

But if the Marcos administration intends to make it mandatory, Pimentel said they should file a bill to this effect as a mere memorandum circular is "not sufficient."

Pimentel also explained this issue was raised in the plenary because it is "crucial" for lawmakers to uphold the rule of law and ensure that all mandates are in line with existing legislation.

"While promoting national unity and national pride is a laudable goal—patriotism, love of country, gusto natin lahat 'yan [we all want that]—it should not come at the expense of violating the law lalo na at [especially when] we can do this in compliance with the law," Pimentel said.

He then urged the Senate legal counsel to study his position on the matter and advise Senate President Francis Escudero, who is also a lawyer, of their opinion.

"Please advise our Senate president. Exempted na nga tayo, 'di tayo covered, mandatory in nature ang circular. Hindi tayo covered sa mandate, nagtaas tayo ng kamay na we volunteer to do something [that is], as per my understanding of the law, questionable under the law," Pimentel, a bar topnotcher, said.

(We have been exempted, we are not covered by the mandate, but now we're raising our hand to volunteer to do something that is, as per my understanding of the lawm questionable under the law.)

Not accepted by all

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros echoed Pimentel's concern, saying the singing of a hymn is not mandated under the law.

"Huwag po sanang lumawak na sa kabila noong mga adbokasiya tungkol sa pagkakaisa ay lalong paghati-hatiin 'yung mga tao dahil ipipilit and isang konsepto na hindi naman tanggap pa ng lahat lahat," Hontiveros said.

(Let's not have it happen that instead of the aim of unit we will actually divide people even more because you're forcing a concept that not everyone has aagreed to.)

"Galangin po natin ang pagkakaisa ng lahat...at huwag po natin subukang na dagdagan o ipalit ito ng ibang awit o himno at ibang panata na 'di po napagkasunduan o napagkaisahan ng lahat di tulad sa nakapaloob sa batas," she went on.

(Let us respect the consensus, and let's not try to add or replace it with a hymn and pledge that has not been agreed upon by everyone, unlike what has been enshrined in law.)

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, who presided over the session in the absence of Escudero, suggested discussing the matter among their fellow senators and inform the Senate president about it at the soonest possible time.

In June, Escudero noted the need for the Flag and Heraldic Code to be amended if the "Bagong Pilipinas" hymn and pledge is to be formally become part of all events in the country.

But the Senate president said there is nothing wrong in the recent memorandum circular issued by the Palace, noting that there is no personality that was mentioned in the new hymn and pledge.

According to Escudero, he already referred this to the Senate secretariat and they will study this because they said this would be the first time that it will happen in the chamber. — BM, GMA Integrated News