Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

Introduced by HONORABLE BELLAFLOR J. ANGARA-CASTILLO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

We live in a global community where countries are more interdependent than ever,
where on the other hand there is a felt need to recognize specific countries with which the
Philippines had sustained historic and cultural relations in order to encourage interaction
between governments and peoples.

Philippine-French relations go as far back as the age of discovery and exploration. When
he embarked on his epochal mission to discover the route to the Spice Islands, Ferdinand
Magellan had 15 Frenchmen among his crew. In the Christianization of the Philippines, some of
the religious who served in the country came from France, as well as other nations allied with
the rulers of Spain. The seminary of St. Clement in Manila, the first Diocesan seminary in the
Philippines, was established with the help of French Monsignor Charles-Thomas Maillard de
Tournon in 1704.

Aside from serving as missionaries, other French residents of the Philippines served as
traders, technicians, soldiers, and officers and crews of the Manila Galleons.

By the 171h century, France began to take notice of the Philippines for its strategic
location for trade, It was the French who discovered the potential of the abaca plant in the
manufacture of ropes used in the shipping industry,

Despite Spanish restrictions against foreign trade, a community of French other foreign
traders existed in Manila before its formal opening in 1832. By time, Paris fashion had become a
standard in Manila, Foreign vessels brought in French products such as stockings, muslin and
linen cloth, umbrellas, gloves and coats, On the other hand, France imported most of the indigo
produced in the Philippines.

French residents and travelers produced interesting accounts of the Philippines. Writing
in 1818, French explorer Gabriel Lafond was captivated by the beauty and potential of Manila
Bay. French navigator and geographer Dumont dilrvlle visited Jolo and offered gifts to the
sultan in May 1828

Paris figured prominently in the intellectual life of a number of prominent Filipinos
Trinidad Pardo de Tavera published El Sanscrito en la Lengua Tagalog in 1883. The painters
Juan Luna and Felix Resurrecion Hidalgo did many of their works in France. The Philippine
government has installed a marker on the site of the atelier of Juan Luna in boulevard Arago
(14th arrondisement in Paris)

Rizal lived in Paris which he described as an “intellectual city par excellence” during the
summer of 1883, then in 1885 and in 1887 and finally in 1889 to 1891 where he worked with a
French ophthalmologist, Louis de Wecker. A historical marker has been installed in 124 Rue de
Rennes to commemorate the stay of Rizal in Paris.


The greatest contribution of France lay in its revolutionary history and free social
environment which inspired Filipino nationalism and our heroes. While living in Paris, Rizal
annotated Antonio de Morga's Sucesos de /as /slas Filipinas which corrected the Spanish
biases against Filipinos. It was also here that Rizal and other reformists formed a group called
the “Indios Bravos” which advocated redeeming the honor of the Filipino race

During the centennial of the French Revolution in 1889, Rizal sought to organize a
conference of scholars working in the Philippines to come to Paris. It was during this conference
that an association called Association Intemationale des Philippinistes was to be launched with
Ferdinand Blumentritt as president and Edmond Plauchut as vice president.

Both Filipino reformists and revolutionists imbibed French liberal ideas of liberty, equality
and fratemity. Rizal's novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo were inspired by Alexander
Dumas, one of France's great literary giants. Andres Bonifacio was heavily inspired by the
French Revolution. Both he and Emilio Jacinto, the Brains of the Katipunan subscribed to the
ideas of Jean Jacques Rousseau, Montesquieu and Napoleon Bonaparte, especially on the
universal rights of man. These ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity are represented in the
equilateral white triangle of the Philippine flag

On June 26, 1947 the Philippines and France signed a Treaty of Amity, which
established diplomatic relations between these two countries. Underlying this alliance is a
historical and cultural background between the Philippines and France.

This bill seeks to declare the 26th of June of every year as Philippines-France
Friendship Day to remember and celebrate the shared history and friendship between the
Philippines and France, and further serve to cement good relations between our two peoples.

J. ANGARA- Libebiomso
Repres fatve
Lone District, Province of Aurora


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —_)
Second Regular Session }

H.B.No043.2

Introduced by Honorable BELLAFLOR J. ANGARA-CASTILLO

AN ACT
DECLARING EVERY 26TH OF JUNE OF EVERY YEAR
AS PHILIPPINES-FRANCE FRIENDSHIP DAY

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

SECTION |. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State to strengthen the
relationship between the Philippines and such countries with which it shares historical, cultural
and trade relations, in order to bring their respective peoples into closer contact and better

understanding of each other's history, culture and economy.

SEC. 2. Philippines-France Friendship Day. The Twenty-Sixth of June of each year is
hereby declared a national working holiday known as “Philippines- France Friendship Day” to
commemorate the cultural and historical ties, friendship and cooperation between the

Philippines and France,

SEC. 3. Implementation. The National Historical Institute (NHI) shall be responsible for
the implementation of this Act, For this purpose, it shall, upon consultation with the Department
of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), formulate and
issue the implementing rules and regulations necessary for the proper implementation of this
Act.

SEC. 4. Appropriations, An annual budget for the celebration of the Philippines-France
Friendship Day in the amount of Fifteen million pesos (Php 15,000,000,00) shall be included in
the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law, fifty percent (50%) of
which shall be devoted exclusively for research and development, publication and information
Thereafter, the expenses for its continued implementation shall be included in the subsequent

General Appropriations Act.


SEC. 5. Separability Clause. if any section or provision of this Act is held
unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions not affected thereby shall remain

valid and effective.

SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations, or any part thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby

repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 7. Effectivity. This law shall take effect within fifteen (15) days from publication in

the Official Gazette or two (2) newspaper of general circulation,

Approved,