House approves bill seeking to revive ‘National Thanksgiving Day’ in the Philippines
The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to declare the fourth Thursday of November as National Thanksgiving Day, reviving a tradition once observed in the Philippines.
Voting 206-0, lawmakers approved House Bill No. 7613, which aims to institutionalize an annual National Thanksgiving Day to encourage Filipinos to reflect on the country's blessings while promoting gratitude, unity, and national solidarity. The measure will now be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.
The proposal has since sparked discussion online, with some questioning whether creating another symbolic holiday should be among Congress' priorities amid more pressing national concerns. Among those who reacted to the proposal was social media personality Belle Enriquez, who said she has "nothing against gratitude" but questioned whether establishing another holiday should be a legislative priority.
In an X post, Enriquez argued that Thanksgiving is deeply rooted in American history and culture, while the Philippines already has its own traditions of expressing gratitude through faith, family, and community celebrations. She also pointed to issues such as inflation, hunger, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate healthcare, and the rising cost of living as concerns that deserve lawmakers' attention.
"Gratitude should never become a substitute for good governance," she wrote.
Enriquez added that if Congress wants to foster a culture of gratitude, it should focus on giving Filipinos more reasons to be thankful through better governance, quality education, accessible healthcare, decent jobs, and a more hopeful future.
Another X user also pointed out that it is an American holiday, noting, "It's not even a religious holiday that you respect other's religion and declaring it a holiday. They made Filipinos believe that we are free from colonialism."
A long-forgotten tradition
According to the Philippine News Agency, Thanksgiving has a much longer history in the Philippines than many Filipinos may realize. During the American colonial period, Act No. 345, enacted in 1902, made Thanksgiving an official public holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, following the American tradition.
The tradition continued after the Philippine Commonwealth was established on Nov. 15, 1935, with President Manuel L. Quezon issuing annual proclamations declaring Thanksgiving a national holiday. One such issuance, Proclamation No. 114, declared Nov. 26, 1936, as Thanksgiving Day in the Philippines. The observance continued in the succeeding years through presidential proclamations. According to the Presidential Museum and Library, Americans and Filipinos also reportedly observed Thanksgiving in secret during the Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945.
The tradition resumed until 1973, when then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. issued Proclamation No. 1180, transferring the observance to Sept. 21, which his administration described as a day of thanksgiving for the country's "rebirth" under the New Society following the declaration of Martial Law (initially signed under Proclamation No. 1081). National Thanksgiving Day remained on Sept. 21 until 1985 before it was discontinued after the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.
Even without a national Thanksgiving holiday, many Filipinos continue to express gratitude through church services, family gatherings, fiestas, and other celebrations held throughout the year.