The House Committee on Human Rights approved on Wednesday a landmark legislation that seeks to protect and promote the right of Filipinos to live according to their religious beliefs and convictions and be free from any discrimination, harassment and persecution.
House Bill 6538 or the “Philippine Magna Carta of Religious Freedom” bill, authored by CIBAC Party-List Representatives House Deputy Speaker Bro. Eddie Villanueva and Domingo C. Rivera, aims to afford legal protection to Filipinos who will freely pursue the lifestyle that is in accordance with their moral sense of right and wrong, whether such conviction comes from a well-defined religion or not. Under the proposed legislation, it will be prohibited and punishable to compel, force or threaten any person to commit an act that is contrary to his religious conviction thus giving such person the liberty to live in obedience to his Creator without the fear of being maligned, humiliated, harassed, persecuted from the community or even severed from employment or educational institution.
“This bill seeks to be the enabling law that will give flesh and substance to the Constitutional right of every Filipino to freedom of religion guaranteed under Section 5, Article III of the 1987 Constitution which clearly states that the ‘free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed.’ Existing jurisprudence in the country holds that ‘religious freedom is a fundamental right entitled to the highest priority and the amplest protection among human rights, for it involves the relationship of man to his Creator and the only instance that it can be suspended or denied is when there is the existence of a grave and present danger to the public interest. However, absent an implementing law, the right of a person to religious freedom will always be susceptible to violation,” says the CIBAC lawmaker, who is also the House Deputy Speaker for Good Governance and Moral Uprightness.
Under House Bill 6538, the following are among the rights subsumed under religious freedom and thus must be free from any form of burden, curtailment, infringement or encroachment: the right to freely choose a religion or religious group, the right to express religious belief and act in accordance with conscience, the right to propagate religious beliefs, the right to disseminate religious publications, the right to uninterrupted religious ceremonies, the right to be free from discrimination in the community, employment and educational institutions, the right of businesses to conduct its operations according to the religious belief of owners, the right of parents or legal guardian to rear their children, and the right of religious institutions to organizational independence and be entitled to tax exemptions pursuant to the Constitution and applicable tax laws.
“However, lest we be misinterpreted, we recognize that any right has its boundaries. Thus, to strike a balance, this bill also recognizes the limitations on the free exercise of religion. It include any act that threatens public safety, order, health, property and morals; inflicts harm or danger to individuals or groups; or infringes on limitations already prescribed by existing laws such as prohibitions on same sex marriage, and the like,” adds Deputy Speaker Villanueva.
“The bill also aims to promote a free market of religious ideas in our country. It prohibits and penalizes any act of persecution and harassment aimed at preventing a certain religion from propagating its beliefs. By doing so, Filipinos can have the full range of available religious information and knowledge from where they can choose what belief they will subscribe into,” furthers the CIBAC solon.
“In a nutshell, the bill aims to afford legal protection to a person who simply wishes to live in full adherence to his religious convictions. It is our firm belief that when a person is living in a manner that is harmonious with his relationship with the Almighty God, he is the best version of himself and the most able to contribute to the public good,” ends Deputy Speaker Villanueva.
The Freedom of Religion bill will now be set for House plenary debate and voting before it will be transmitted to the Senate for its action.
