A House leader has filed a bill declaring “adobo” — the ubiquitous Filipino dish flavored with vinegar and soy sauce — as the national food.
The House Committee on Tourism chair, Rep. Rene Relampagos of the 1st district of Bohol, filed House Bill 3926 which also seeks to officially declare “bakya” as the national slippers, “bahay kubo” as the national house and the “jeepney” as the national vehicle.
A House leader has filed a bill declaring “adobo” — the ubiquitous Filipino dish flavored with vinegar and soy sauce — as the national food. (Photo from Wikipedia)
Under the same measure, the song “Bayan Ko” shall also be declared and recognized as the national song and Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makakalikasan at Makabansa as the national motto.
Titled the “Philippine National Symbols Act of 2014, the bill was penned by Relampagos in order to lay the basis for the declaration and recognition of Philippine national symbols.
“National symbols represent its country, its people, its history and its culture. In the Philippines, there are around twenty national symbols being taught in school. However, of these symbols, only ten are official, that is with basis either in the Constitution, Republic Acts and Proclamations,” the solon said in a statement.
“Rizal now becomes the unofficial national hero, carabao the unofficial national animal, mango the unofficial national fruit, bangus the unofficial fish, the baro’t saya as the unofficial national costume and so on,” he explained.
But the Bohol lawmaker noted that his measure provides for the official declaration of Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda as the national hero, as well as the existing Philippine flag as the national flag of country.
The bill likewise provides that the City of Manila shall be declared the national capital of the Philippines, Malacañan Palace as the national seat of government, Filipino the national language and Lupang Hinirang the national anthem.
The bill further declares as national symbols the Great Seal as the national seal; the national coat-of-arms shall have paleways of two pieces, azure and gules, and the Philippine peso the national currency.
Arnis, on the other hand, shall be declared the national martial arts and sport, cariñosa as the national dance, the Philippine monkey-eating eagle as the national bird, Kalabaw as the national animal, Bangus as the national fish and Narra the national tree.
Relampagos’ bill also declares the Philippine Pearl as the national gem, Sampaguita as the national flower, Anahaw as the national leaf and mango as the national fruit.
The House leader said the bill aims to develop and instill nationalism and unity, ensure respect, promotion and preservation of the national symbols, correct the unofficial status of these symbols as taught in schools, provide guidelines for their use, care and conservation and to promote Philippine tourism through these symbols, among others.
The Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) are directed by the piece of legislation to give primordial importance to the respect, promotion, preservation, conservation, cultivation and usage of these national symbols, as appropriate, including dissemination through the quad-media.
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