NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
s. No. 1878
of tijf
23 FEB 14 P3:11
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by Senator MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
AN ACT
TO DESIGNATE THE FOURTH (4TH) DAY OF NOVEMBER OF EVERY YEAR A 
SPECIAL NON-WORKING HOLIDAY IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEZON TO BE 
KNOWN AS HERMANO PULI DAY, MANDATING CONCERNED AGENCIES TO 
CONDUCT EVENTS DURING ITS OBSERVANCE
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Apolinario "Hermano Puli" dela Cruz a local of Lucban, Tayabas, along with indio 
secular priest Br. Ciriaco de los Santos and nineteen other individuals from Tayabas, 
founded the Hermandad de la Archi-Cofradia del Gorioso Senor San Jose y de la 
Virgen del Rosario {^ro\hex\\oo(^ of the Great Sodality of the Glorious Lord Saint Joseph 
and of the Virgin of the Rosary), shortened to Cofradia de San Jose (Confraternity of 
St. Joseph).1 The brotherhood or religious group spread like wildfire over the Province 
of Tayabas now Quezon, Laguna, and some towns in Batangas with the goal of 
promoting meaningful change and social justice; the right of the Filipinos for religious 
freedom; to have secular Filipino Priests, and; a fine brotherhood (Cofradia) to uplift 
the lives of the poor.
Hermano Puli understood that religion was vital in the efforts to overcome the 
Spanish colonizers. Through the confradia, he showed how the Christian religion that 
Spain had used to domesticate the will of the Filipinos itself became the wellspring of
1 Civil Society in the Philippines: Theoretical, Methodological and Policy Debates | Gerard Clarke, 2013


their rebellion.2 It paved the way for Father Jose Burgos' struggle to secularize the 
Philippine parishes and Father Gregorio Aglipay's efforts to establish the Iglesia Filipina 
Independiente.
Naaangkop na kilalanin natin si ApoHnario "Hermano Puli"dela Cruz na kilala rin 
bHang "Hari ng Katagalugan". Ang kanyang ambag sa pakikibaka para sa ka/ayaan sa 
pananampalataya at sa pambansang kasarinlan at pagkakaisa ay tunay na di 
matatawaran. Ating ipapakita ang pagpapahalaga sa kanya, sa pamamagitan ng 
pagtatalaga ng isang araw upang kilalanin at itaguyod ang diwa ng kanyang maiksi 
ngunit makabuiuhang buhay.
A same measure was filed in the House of Representatives during the 17th and 
18th Congress that reached the third and final reading, but no counterpart bill was 
filed in the Senate.
This bill seeks to recognize the invaluable contribution and sacrifices of Apolinario 
"Hermano Puli" dela Cruz to the struggle for religious freedom and independence from 
foreign domination. It is a response to the call of the people of Quezon to 
institutionalize and further strengthen the provisions of Presidential Proclamations (PP 
No. 73 S.2022, PP No. 1233 s.2021, and PP No. 1040 s. 2020, PP No. 70 s. 2016 and 
PP No. 1143 s. 2015) which declared the 4th day of November as a special Non­
working Holiday and use it as a venue to honor, commemorate and celebrate the life 
of Hermano Puli through appropriate ceremonies.
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
i:"LITO" M. LAPID
Senator
2 https;//opinion.inquirer.net/97640/hermano-puli-religion-rebellion-and-nation | Hermano Puli: religion, 
rebellion, and nation | Randy David, 2016
2


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
S. No.
SENATE
1878
Ornate
of tilf 
n t’t.ii,!)
23 FEB 14 P3:11 
\
RtCEIVED BV: 
‘
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
1 
AN ACT
2 
TO DESIGNATE THE FOURTH (4TH) DAY OF NOVEMBER OF EVERY YEAR A
3 
SPECIAL NON-WORKING HOLIDAY IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEZON TO BE
4 
KNOWN AS HERMANO PULI DAY, MANDATING CONCERNED AGENCIES TO
5 
CONDUCT EVENTS DURING ITS OBSERVANCE
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
6 
SECTION 1. Tide. — This Act shall be known as the "Hermano Puli Day Act".
7 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared to be the policy of
8 
the State to undertake initiatives that will give due honor and recognition to the crucial
9 
role of its national heroes in achieving the independence of our nation. To promote
10 
the values of nationalism, collective action, civic consciousness and patriotism among
11 
its people that will shape the character needed for national development and
12 
independence.
13
14 
SECTION 3. Hermano PuH Day. — In recognition of the life and heroism of
15 
Apolinario "Hermano Puli" dela Cruz, the fourth (4th) day of November of every year
16 
is hereby declared a special non-working holiday in the Province of Quezon to be
17 
known as Hermano Puli Day.
18 
SECTION 4. Inter-agency and Multi-sectoral Effort. — The Local Government
19 
of Quezon Province together with the National Historical Commission of the


1 
Philippines, Department of Education, and the Commission on Higher Education shall
2 
serve as the lead agencies in the preparation and implementation of the annual
3 
program of activities for the observance of the Hermano Puli Day.
4 
To ensure the meaningful observance and celebration of this day, the local
5 
counterparts of the national government agencies, municipal and city local
6 
government units, and employers in the private sector, are encouraged to allow their
7 
respective personnel and constituents to participate in any related activity to be held
8 
within the premises of their respective offices or establishments.
9 
SECTION 5. Separability Clause. — In the event that any part, section or
10 
provision of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid by a competent court,
11 
the remaining provisions thereby shall remain valid and in full force and effect as if
12 
the sections or provisions so annulled or voided had never been incorporated herein.
13 
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders,
14 
issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof not consistent with the provisions of
15 
this Act are hereby repealed or modified and/or superseded as case may be by this
16 
Act accordingly.
17 
SECTION 7. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
18 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
19 
circulation, whichever comes earlier.
Approved,