Nancy Binay’s bill requires NHCP’s nod before gov’t agencies change logo or seal

FILE PHOTO: Senator Nancy Binay presides over the Committee on Tourism public hearing. Senate PRIB file photo / Joseph Vidal

MANILA, Philippines — No more changing the official logos of government agencies without the approval of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

That is, if a bill filed by Senator Nancy Binay, who heads the Senate committee on tourism, becomes a law.

Binay recently filed Senate Bill  No. 2384, which seeks to strengthen the rules on the “creation, modification, and registration of official seals and other heraldic items and devices of government entities.”

The proposed measure ensures that official seals and logos convey national ideals and traditions that express the principles of sovereignty and national solidarity, the senator said.

“Hindi po basta-basta ang rebranding at ang pagbabago ng logo (The rebranding and the change of the logo are not just a matter of course),” Binay said in a statement on Tuesday.

She cited what she said was an “apparent trend of unilaterally changing seals/logos of government agencies” like the Bangko Sentral’s gold Philippine Eagle, and the new logo for the state-owned Philippine Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

READ: Going loco over logos: There’s more than meets the eye

“While I am sure na may ginawa naman silang mga pag-aaral ukol dito, maganda din sigurong maging permanenteng bahagi ang NHCP sa proseso ng redesign para masigurong akma at nasa ayos ang logo ng ahensya ng pamahalaan,” Binay stressed.

(While I am sure they have conducted studies about this, it would also be good to make the NHCP  a permanent part of the redesign process to guarantee that the government agency’s logo is appropriate and in order.)

Under her proposal, any government entity, including the military, may adopt appropriate coat-of-arms, administrative seals, logo, insignia, badges, patches, and banners and initiate awards, citations, orders, or decorations, as may be authorized by Congress or the Office of the President, subject to the approval and recommendation of the NHCP.

The heraldic items and devices should not be revised or changed more than once every 10 years, the bill said.

Binay likewise proposed that designs made in the legal tender should be cleared and approved by the NHCP and concurred by Congress before being released for circulation.

The senator lamented the removal of the country’s martyrs and heroes from the Philippine currency, which she said should not have been decided by just the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or Malacañang.

READ: Nancy Binay wants Congress, NHCP to have a say in design changes in coins, bills

“’Yung magpalit nga ng name ng school at kalsada kailangan may congressional imprimatur at NHCP approval dahil meron ‘yan relevance at implications sa culture at history, and there’s a higher purpose than just having the names changed. Ganyan din sa ating legal tender – there’s a higher purpose to what image or content should be printed on notes and coins,” Binay pointed out.

(Even changing the name of a school or a road requires congressional imprimatur and NHCP approval because it has relevance and implications in our culture and history, and there’s a higher purpose than just changing the names. This is similar to our legal tender – there’s a higher purpose to what image or content should be printed on notes and coins)

Binay explained that NHCP is responsible for the conservation and preservation of the country’s historical legacies “that even natural features such as islands, rivers, seas, oceans, mountains, plains are not supposed to be changed or renamed by a mere local ordinance or resolution unless these are being reverted to their old indigenous names.”

kga/abc