Press Release - Sen. Robin Pushes Nov. 7 as Working Holiday to Commemorate Start of Islam in the Philippines

Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla on Wednesday pushed for declaring Nov. 7 of every year Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Day - a working holiday - to commemorate the establishment of Islam in the Philippines.

In his sponsorship speech for Committee Report 238 of the Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs, Padilla pointed out Nov. 7 marks the date of the establishment of the first mosque in the country.

"Hindi po natin maikakaila ang makabuluhang kontribusyon ng ating mga ninunong Muslim sa pagpapayaman at pagpapasigla ng kultura at sibilisasyong ng ating minamahal na Inang Bayan - isang bagay na ating kinikilala at ipinagmamalaki sa ating kontemporaryong panahon (We cannot deny the valuable contribution of our Muslim ancestors to the culture and civilization of our Motherland - and this is something we take pride in today)," said Padilla, a staunch Muslim and chairman of the Senate committee.

"Nakaukit po sa ating mayamang kasaysayan na bago pa lamang ang pagpasok ng Kristiyanismo hatid ng mga dayuhang Kastila noong 1521, matagal na pong nananahan ang mga Moro at matagal nang lumaganap ang Islam sa iba't-ibang bahagi ng ating kapuluan (It is etched in our history that before the Spaniards brought Christianity to the Philippines in 1521, the Moros have stayed here and spread Islam to our islands)," he added.

Padilla noted the committee report stemmed from the initiative of former Senator and now Department of Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara.

Also, Padilla pointed out that under Muslim Mindanao Act No. 17 of 1991 and Executive Order No. 40, Nov. 7 was declared a special public holiday in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

He stressed the need to enhance "national awareness" of Islam and Muslim culture - "at pahalagahan ang kontribusyon ng pananampalatayang Islam bilang bahagi ng ating pagka-Pilipino (and to value the contributions of Islam as part of our Filipino identity)."

He pointed out as well that similar occasions like National Baptist Day and National Bible Day have been declared special working holidays.

"Ang amin pong panalangin: nawa ay mabigyang katuparan ng ika-19 na Kongreso ang ating hinihiling na pagkilala sa ika-7 ng