SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ! 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
}
F irst R e g u la r Session  
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S E N A T E  
S.B. No. J . 4 , 3 0
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INTRODUCED BY SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO III
AN ACT
DECLARING DECEMBER 8 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NON-WORKING 
HOLIDAY IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY TO COMMEMORATE THE FEAST 
OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY, THE PRINCIPAL 
PATRONESS OF THE PHILIPPINES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Philippines is a predom inantly Catholic nation by reason of the 
300 years of Spanish rule. According to the 2016 Philippine Statistics 
Yearbook -  based on its 2010 data -  80.58% of Filipinos are Catholic 
including Catholic charism atic. To prove the Filipinos’ religiosity and faith 
are the num erous religious feasts, celebrations and festivities being held in 
the country all year round.
While there are a num ber of religious feasts in the Philippines, there 
are only three (3) Holy Days of Obligation -  these days being the m ost 
im portant feasts of the liturgical year. Under the Code of Canon Law 
currently recognized by the Holy See and the Catholic Bishops' Conference 
of the Philippines, the Philippines has only three Holy Days of Obligation, 
namely: the Im m aculate Conception (December 8), C hristm as Day or 
Nativity of O ur Lord (December 25), and the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother 
of God (January 1). During these days, every Catholic individual is obliged 
to attend and hear m ass -  one of the “absolute m inim um  actions required of 
Catholics regarding the C hurch”1.
hltp://w\vvv.bcginningcatholic.coni/prcccpts-of-tIic:catholic-cluirch


However, at present, am ong the Holy Days of Obligation, it is only the 
Feast of the Im m aculate Conception th at is not declared as a non-working 
holiday -  the two (2) other days of obligation being regular holidays in the 
country. There are several predom inantly Catholic countries that declare the 
aforesaid Feast as public holiday like Andorra, Argentina, E ast Timor, 
Guam, Italy, Malta, Monaco and Spain, ju st to nam e a few.
The prom ulgation of the dogma of the Im m aculate Conception was 
made on December 8, 1854. Pope Pius IX officially declared the Im m aculate 
Conception a dogma of the C hurch, which m eans th at all C hristians are 
bound to accept it as true. As the Holy Father wrote in the Apostolic 
Constitution Ineffabilis Deus, "We declare, pronounce, and define that the 
doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of 
her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in 
view of the merits of Je su s Christ, the Savior of the hum an race, w as 
preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and 
therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful."
Filipino Catholics have a strong devotion to Mary, Mother of God. One 
of the m anifestations of which is when upon the request of the bishops of 
the Philippines, Pope Pius XII declared Mary, under the title of the 
Im maculate Conception, as the Patroness of the Philippines on Septem ber 
12, 1942. Another proof of Filipinos’ veneration to Mary is th at apart from 
festivals in honor of a town’s patron saint, each also has their own claim to 
the Virgin Mary with a festivity in her honor and vigorously celebrated 
throughout the year such as the Flores de Mayo, Feast of Nuestra Sehora de 
Pehafrancia, M anaoag Pilgrimage, and Obando Fertility Rites, am ong others. 
O ther practices of devotion to Mary are novenas to Blessed Mother as 
preparation for the patronal feast; the block rosary; and the endless 
symphony of M arian nam es in the baptism al records2.
http://www.cbcponlinc.nct/documcnt.s/1970s/l 975-mahal na birhcn.html


In order to allow the Filipino Catholics to further strengthen their 
established devotion to Mary, M other of God through hearing m ass and 
through the exercise of other custom ary religious activities, this bill seeks to 
declare December 8 of every year as a special non-working holiday in the 
entire country to comm em orate the Feast of the Im m aculate Conception of 
Mary, the principal patroness of the Philippines.
In light of the foregoing, the passage of this m easure is earnestly 
recommended.
VICENTE C. SpTTO III
j


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE } 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
}
F irst R e g u la r Session  
}
S E N  A T  
S.B. No
1 4 ^  0
of till- S'•-M ■•Mri’
•17 HAY-2 P 3 -30
REClI'vlL) 111.
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO III
AN ACT
DECLARING DECEMBER 8 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NON-WORKING 
HOLIDAY IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY TO COMMEMORATE THE FEAST 
OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY, THE PRINCIPAL 
PATRONESS OF THE PHILIPPINES
Be it enacted by the Seriate and House of Represerrtatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assem bled:
1 
SECTION 1. December 8 of every year is herby declared a special non-
2 
working holiday in the entire country to comm em orate the feast of the
3 
Im m aculate Conception of Mary, the Principal Patroness of the Philippines.
4 
SECTION 2. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
5 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a new spaper of general circulation.
6 
Approved,