Metro Manila – Voting 212-1-1, the House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading the bill which promotes a new way of gesture in observance of social distancing protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
House Bill 8149 or the “Bating Filipino Para Sa Kalusugan Act” institutionalizes placing one’s palm at the center of the chest together with a slight nod as customary Filipino gesture of respect. It is also seen as an alternative to the traditional handshake.
The measure covers all Filipino citizens and other individuals staying in the country.
Under the proposed measure, all government agencies are mandated to disseminate information and to encourage the practice of the new gesture.
The bill also mandates the Department of Health in consultation with the Department of Education, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Presidential Communications Operations Office, Philippine Information Agency, and other concerned agencies to formulate and issue the rules and regulations for its implementation.