SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
)
S E N A T E  
S. B.No. 124G
o f  I h ^ N  . . r l a i j .
In,-!'/*
’16 
NOV 18 P3 '46
K [
•V.
h
■1
Introduced by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel HI
AN ACT
SEGREGATING PARCELS OF LAND W ITHIN THE LIBINGAN 
NGINIGA BA VAN! ALLOCATED FOR THE REMAINS OF 
FILIPINO HISTORICAL FIGURES TO BE KNOWN AS THE 
LIBINGAN NG MGA MAKASAYSAYANG PILIPINO
The Libingan ng mga Bayani was established by the Philippine 
Government in 1947 as a fitting tribute to the gallant men who brought 
honor to the country for the sake of freedom and democracy. It was then 
called the Republic Memorial Cemetery.
A year after, in 1948, Republic Act No. 289 was enacted which had 
for its purpose the construction of a National Pantheon wherein shall be 
interred the remains of all Presidents of the Philippines, national heroes, 
and patriots, to perpetuate their memory for the inspiration and emulation 
of generations of Filipinos.
In 1954, President Ramon Magsaysay, through Proclamation No. 86, 
changed the name of the Republic Memorial Cemetery to Libingan ng mga 
Bayani because the name Republic Memorial Cemetery “/5 not symbolic of 
the cause for which our soldiers have died, and does not truly express the 
nation’s esteem and reverence fo r her war dead. ”
On July 12, 1957, President Carlos P. Garcia issued Proclamation 
No. 423, which reserved for military purposes, under the administration of 
the AFP Chief of Staff, the land where LNMB is located. The LNMB was 
part of a military reservation site then known as Fort Wm McKinley.1
In 1967, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Proclamation No. 
208 reserving 
142.88 hectares from the Fort Bonifacio Military
1 Ocampo, et al. v. Enriquez, et al., G.R. No. 225973, November 8, 2016.


Reservation for national shrine purposes, particularly for the future 
expansion of the LNMB. President Marcos likewise issued Presidential 
Decree No. 1076 in 1977 which placed the administration of the LNMB 
under the Department of National Defense. At present, the LNMB is being 
administered and maintained by the Grave Services Unit of the Army 
Support Command, Philippine Army, Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The National Pantheon authorized to be constructed under R.A. 289 
is a memorial shrine separate from the LNMB. However, since no new 
National Pantheon was constructed pursuant to the said law, LNMB served 
as the National Pantheon envisioned under the law to be the burial place of 
the mortal remains of all the Presidents of the Philippines, national heroes, 
and patriots. Thus, in AFP Regulation G 161-375, qualified to be interred 
in the LNMB are the remains of those with military service2, Filipinos of 
historical interest3, and others4 whose remains were allowed to be interred 
therein.
This bill seeks to segregate the parcels of land within the LNMB 
allocated for Filipinos of historical interest, such as the Presidents of the 
Philippines, statesmen, dignitaries, and national artists and scientists, to be 
known as the Libingan ng mga Makasaysayang Pilipino (LNMP).
This effectively preserves the Libingan ng mga Bayani as a military 
memorial consistent with the purpose for which it was established in 1947 
and renamed as such in 1954.
The preferential consideration of this bill is therefore sought.
AQUILIN
“KOKO^ PIM ENTEL III
2 Medal for Valor Awardees; Chiefs of Staff, AFP; Generals/Flag Officers of the AFP; Active 
and Retired Military Personnel of the AFP to include active draftees and trainees who died in the 
line of duty, active reservists and CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) who died in combat 
operations or combat related activities; Former members of the AFP who laterally entered or 
joined the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP); Veterans of 
Philippine Revolution of 1890, WWl, WWII, and recognized guerrillas.
3 Presidents or Commanders-in-Chief, AFP; Secretaries of National Defense; Government 
Dignitaries and Statesmen; and National Artists and Scientists (by virtue of Executive Order No. 
131 issued in 1993 by President Fidel V. Ramos).
4 Widows of former Presidents, Secretaries of National Defense, and Chiefs of Staff; and Other 
deceased persons whose intermnent or reintemment has been approved by the Commander-in- 
Chief, Congress, or the Secretary of National Defense.


g::5Li
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E  
S.B.No. 1246
> rn rir
o f t!.c
'16 NOV 18 P3:46
in
■’V:
Introduced by Senator Aquilino “ Koko” Pimentel HI
1 
AN ACT
2 
SEGREGATING PARCELS OF LAND W ITHIN THE LIBINGAN
3 
NG MGA BAYANI ALLOCATED FOR THE REMAINS OF
4 
FILIPINO HISTORICAL FIGURES TO BE KNOWN AS THE
5 
LIBINGAN NG IMGA MAKASAYSAYANG PILIPINO
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives o f the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
6 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. -  It is hereby deelared as the
7 
policy of the State to honor and perpetuate the memory of Filipino
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
historical figures who have led lives worthy of inspiration and emulation.
SEC. 2. Creation of the Libingan ng mga Makasaysayang Pilipino. 
-  The parcels of land within the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) 
allocated for the remains of Filipino historical figures such as the 
Presidents or Commanders-in-Chief, AFP (Section A); Secretaries of 
National Defense, Government Dignitaries, and Statesmen (Section B); 
and National Artists and Scientists (Section XIII) are hereby segregated 
from the LNMB to be henceforth known as the Libingan ng mga 
Makasaysayang Pilipino.
17 
SEC. 3. Appropriations. -  The amount necessary to implement the
18 
provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General
19 
Appropriations Act.
20
21
SEC. 4. Implementing Guidelines. -  The Department of National 
Defense shall issue the guidelines necessary to implement this Act.
22 
SEC. 5. Repealing /  Modification Clause. -  Republic Act No. 289,
23 
Proclamation No. 86 series o f 1954, Executive Order No. 131 series of
24 
1993, AFP Regulation G 161-375, 
and all other laws, decrees,
1


1 
proclamations, executive orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof
2 
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
3
4
5
6
SEC. 6. 
Separability Clause. -  Should any clause, provision, 
paragraph, or part hereof be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the 
remaining provisions of this Act not affected by such declaration shall 
continue to be valid and effective.
SEC. 7. Effectivity Clause. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
days after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two 
(2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,