The House of Representatives passed on third reading earlier this month a bill declaring September 11 of every year as a special non-working holiday in Ilocos Norte to commemorate the birthday of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
Voting 197-9 with one abstention, the House approved House Bill 7137 or the proposed law on a “Ferdinand Edralin Marcos” Day.
Based on the House’s Journal No. 5 for the second regular session, the nine lawmakers who voted against the bill were:
– Quezon City 6th District Rep. Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte
– Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr.
– ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro
– Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Eufemia Cullamat
– Bukidnon 2nd district Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores
– Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Ferdinand Gaite
– Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman
– Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate
Cebu 2nd District Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa abstained from voting.
On the footnote of the journal, it was noted that Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago also voted against HB 7137 while Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman abstained. However, their votes were received only after the official voting results on the bill was announced.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III has said that the bill on a Marcos holiday is seen to breeze through the Senate because it is a local measure.
