MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III has filed a resolution urging the chamber to declare every first Thursday of February as the “Synchronized National Interfaith Prayers for Peace and Reconciliation.”
Senate Resolution No. 1002, filed by Sotto last Monday, is aimed at encouraging Filipinos to participate in reciting a universal prayer initiated by the “PasaLord Prayer Movement,” the “Prayer for Peace in the Philippines.” The said prayer has an English, Filipino, Cebuano and Hiligaynon versions.
The PasaLord Prayer Movement is an interfaith movement launched in 2017 which “seeks to unite Filipinos of various creeds and denominations to pray for peace in the Philippines,” its founder and lead convenor Lourdes “Bing” Pimentel said.
Despite the provisions of the Constitution on the separation of Church and State, Sotto said: “it is believed that encouraging the people to pray as a single nation regardless of religion, cultural race and social stature in life will not violate any law.”
“It is noteworthy to cite that in the Philippine Senate or in other government bodies, whether in the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary, they start the day’s work with a prayer to the Almighty God as it is believed that the Divine Providence will guide government officials to come up with policies and programs through God’s mercy and intercession that is beneficial to the people and the entire nation,” the Senate leader said in the resolution.
The resolution was referred to the committee on rules last Monday. /muf