NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
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23 MAR-2 P3:09
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
DECLARING THE PROVINCE OF AGUSAN DEL SUR AS THE HOME OF THE
GOLDEN TARA
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The 1987 Constitution, under Article XIV, Section 14 mandates that, "the 
State shall foster the preservation, enrichment, and dynamic evolution of a Filipino 
national culture based on the principle of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic 
and intellectual expression."
In 1917, the 21-karat Hindu or Buddhist deity statuette, better known as the 
Golden Tara was found by a Manobo woman named Bilay Campos on a muddy bank 
of the Wawa River in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur. The image was believed to have 
come from the upriver areas of the province and was carried away downstream by 
a flood to where it was found, at the riverbank of Esperanza.
The Golden Image was alleged to have been created as a trade item for the 
Buddhist Empire of Sri Vijaya. The image represents early Agsurnon craftsmanship 
and trade links with the early Southeast Asian empire, indicating its historic and 
cultural significance. In fact, people from Esperanza created a historical marker 
where the significant cultural relic was found.
The Golden Tara's iconographic attributes may have been a subject of debate 
as to whether it belongs to the Hindu and Buddhist pantheon, but its certain that it 
is discovered in Agusan del Sur. In order to promote local tourism in the region, the 
local community has taken the effort to establish their legitimate claim to the well- 
known Golden Tara. Thus, this bill seeks to declare the Province of Agusan del Sur 
as the home of the Golden Tara.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
I EE R. MARCOS


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S.B. No. 1957
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of 11'1’ I i I'tnrj)
23 MAR "2 P3:09
RtCEIVED BV:
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
DECLARING THE PROVINCE OF AGUSAN DEL SUR AS THE HOME OF THE
GOLDEN TARA
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
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SECTION 1. It is the policy of the State to preserve the country's cultural 
artifacts and promote its rich history and cultural heritage.
The Province of Agusan del Sur is hereby declared as the Home of the Golden 
Tara, a 21-karat gold statuette of a female Hindu deity that dates back to the 9th-10th 
centuries and was found in 1917 on the banks of the Wawa River in the Municipality of 
Esperanza, Province of Agusan del Sur. Presently on display in the Field Museum of 
Natural History in Chicago, United States of America, it is considered a testament to the 
rich cultural heritage of the Province of Agusan del Sur and its commercial and cultural 
ties with Southeast Asian states before the Spanish colonial period.
SEC. 2. The Department of Tourism (DOT) shall feature the Golden Tara and 
the rich cultural heritage of the Province of Agusan del Sur in its national and regional 
promotion programs.
SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,