REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 5867

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C, ALEJANO-

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Geographical renaming is the changing of the name of a geographical feature or area
ranging from the uncontroversial change of a street name to a highly disputed change of the
name of a country, A change might see a completely different name being adopted or might only
be a slight change in spelling.

For the purpose of this Act, the reason for renaming our country is to throw away the
vestiges of colonialism, to establish our national identity, and to define how our nation, our
people and our national language will be addressed internationally. Ideally, the name of a
country should define not only its land, but also its people and patrimony. In addition, the new
name must also reflect our history, culture, society, and national sentiments.

Many nations who were formally under colonial yoke have reverted back to their former
pre-colonized name as it gives them a sense of national pride and identity as a free people. By
the same token, for the most part of our history, our ancestors have existed isolated and separate
from each other in their own kingdoms, rajahnetes and sultanetes. Then, various colonizers came
over which muddled our identity as a people and nation, Felipenas, Filipinas, Pilipinas,
Philippines — which of these is the correct name for our country? It is high time for us to have a
name which befits us and is universal to all.

It is therefore imperative for Congress to create a Geographic Renaming Commission to
comprehensively study what appropriagiiiew name shall we call our nation.

In view of the foregoing, the diate passage of this Act is earnestly sought.

‘

? HON. = C, ALEJANO.


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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 5867

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

AN ACT
CONSTITUTING A GEOGRAPHIC RENAMING
COMMISSION TO RENAME OUR COUNTRY

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Organization. The Geographic Renaming Commission, hereinafter
referred to as the “Commission” is hereby constituted in order to study the possibility and the
feasibility of renaming our country, which will appropriately address and define us as a people

and nation.

‘SEC. 2. Composition.- The Commission shall be composed of three (3) Commissioners,
to wit: the commissioners of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA),
National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), and the Komisyon ng Wikang

Filipino (KWF).

SEC. 3. Mandate. It shall be the mandate of the Commission to study and recommend

thenceforth what the new name of the country shal! be.

SEC. 4. Secretariat and Technical Committee.- The Commission shall organize its
‘Secretariat which shall provide administrative and technical support to the Commission. The
‘Commission and its Secretariat shall hold office in such venue as the Commission may decm

appropriate.


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The Commission is hereby authorized to create technical committees and designate
members thereof, and may engage the assistance of experts and professional advisors, subject to
govemment rules and regulations.

SEC. 5. Term of Office. The Commission shall complete its work not later than one (1)
year from the date of approval of this Act, and shall submit to the President of the Philippines a

report of the work undertaken by it together with its corresponding recommendations.

SEC. 6. Termination. — Upon completion of its work and the submission of its report not
later than one (1) year from the date of the approval of this Act, the Commission shall cease to
exist and the services of the Commissioners and members of the Secretariat and Technical

Committee shall terminate,

SEC. 7. Appropriation.- The Commission shall be funded with an initial allocation of
‘Thirty Million Pesos (P30,000,000.00) from the General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 8, Repealing Clause, All previous issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this
ofder are hereby repealed or modified accordingly,

SEC. 9. Effectivity. This order shall take effect upon its publication in the Official

Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,