Proposed 'National Baptist Day' gets Senate nod; Gatchalian pays tribute to Philippine Baptists

PHILIPPINES, June 2 - Press Release
May 30, 2022

Proposed 'National Baptist Day' gets Senate nod; Gatchalian pays tribute to Philippine Baptists

The Senate approved a proposed measure that seeks to declare the second Thursday of January of every year a special working holiday to be known as "National Baptist Day." For Senator Win Gatchalian, co-author and sponsor of the measure, this is a recognition of the Philippine Baptists' contribution to nation-building.

In sponsoring Senate Bill No. 2252, Gatchalian

lauded Baptist churches for upholding academic and moral excellence by establishing Christian schools. Baptist churches nationwide run 1,200 schools from pre-school to high school.

"The Baptists have distinguished themselves for their involvement in our communities by building schools and hospitals and by giving much-needed aid to communities struck by calamities," Gatchalian said during his sponsorship of the measure.

"In the spirit of expressing solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ from Baptist churches, and to honor their invaluable contribution to our society and way of life, I join our colleagues in voting for this measure's approval on third and final reading," the lawmaker said.

Gatchalian pointed out that since the proposed measure seeks to create a special working holiday, it would have no implications on wage rates.

The first Baptist church in the Philippines, the Jaro Evangelical Church, was founded in 1900 in Iloilo City. The city is also home to the Central Philippine University, a Baptist university founded in 1905. In January 2020, the Philippine Baptists celebrated 120 years of ministerial existence in the country.

According to Bishop Reuben Abante of the Bible Believers League for Morality and Democracy (BIBLEMODE) there are about 25,000 to 30,000 Baptist churches in the country. Assuming each has 100 members on average, there are 2.5 to 3 million Baptists nationwide. Membership data from the World Baptist Alliance show that there are 1,784 Baptist churches in the Philippines with at least 653,000 members.

Gatchalian also pointed out the role of the Baptists in promoting principles such as religious freedom and the separation of Church and State, which are enshrined in the United States Constitution and the Philippines' own 1987 Constitution.

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Gatchalian: Panukalang 'National Baptist Day' malapit nang maisabatas

Aprubado na sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ang panukalang pagdedeklara bilang special working holiday ang ikalawang Huwebes ng Enero kada taon na kikilalanin bilang "National Baptist Day." Para kay Senador Win Gatchalian, isa sa mga may akda at sponsor ng panukalang batas, ito ay pagkilala sa mga kontribusyon ng mga Baptist para sa kapakanan ng bansa.

Sa pagsulong ng Senate Bill No. 2252, binigyang pugay ni Gatchalian ang mga simbahang Baptist para sa pagtataguyod sa academic at moral excellence sa pamamagitan ng pagtatag ng mga Christian schools. May isang libo at dalawang daang mga paaralan mula preschool hanggang high school ang pinapatakbo ng mga Baptist churches sa bansa.

"Nakilala ang mga Baptists sa kanilang pakikilahok sa ating mga komunidad sa pamamagitan ng pagtatatag ng mga paaralan at mga ospital, at sa kanilang pagbibigay ng kinakailangang tulong sa mga komunidad na apektado ng mga kalamidad," ani Gatchalian.

"Bilang pakikiisa sa ating mga kapatid kay Kristo mula sa mga simbahang Baptist, at bilang pagkilala sa kanilang natatanging kontribusyon sa ating lipunan at sa ating buhay bilang isang bansa, pabor ako sa panukalang batas na ito," dagdag na pahayag ni Gatchalian.

Ayon pa sa mambabatas, walang magiging epekto sa mga sahod ang panukalang batas dahil special working holiday naman ang ipinapanukala nito.

Ang unang Baptist church sa bansa, ang Jaro Evangelical Church, ay itinatag noong 1900 sa Iloilo City. Itinatag din sa naturang lungsod noong 1905 ang Central Philippine University na pinatatakbo ng mga Baptist. Noong Enero 2020, ipinagdiwang ng mga Baptist sa bansa ang isang daan at dalawampung taon ng kanilang pangangaral dito.

Ayon kay Bishop Reuben Abante ng Bible Believers League for Morality and Democracy o BIBLEMODE, may dalawampu't limang libo hanggang tatlumpung libong mga Baptist churches sa bansa. Kung ang bawat simbahan ay may isang daang kasapi, tinatayang aabot sa dalawa't kalahati hanggang tatlong milyon ang mga Baptist sa bansa. Ayon naman sa World Baptist Alliance, may 1,784 na mga Baptist churches sa bansa na may 653,000 na kasapi.

Kinilala rin ni Gatchalian ang papel ng mga Baptist sa pagsulong ng mga prinsipyong tulad ng kalayaan sa relihiyon at ang separation of Church and State. Ang mga naturang prinsipyo ay matatagpuan sa saligang batas ng Estados Unidos at sa 1987 Constitution na umiiral sa bansa.