DAVAO CITY (PIA) - Several Christian churches along with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Davao are celebrating the National Bible Month this January 2023.

“The country recognizes God and the word of God in our nation, the importance of the word of God to guide us in our life and in our work,” Pastor Rueland Badoy of the Peace International Apostolic Ministries and National Bible Month co-convenor.

Pastor Badoy said they are very happy that the nation gives importance and is celebrating the Bible month.

The National Bible Month traces its roots to Presidential Proclamation 2242 signed in 1982 which declared the First Sunday of Advent and the last week of November as the National Bible Day and National Bible Week respectively. In 1986 President Corazon Aquino moved the National Bible Day to January.

Republic Act 11163 authored by Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao and signed by President Duterte in 2018 institutionalized the National Bible Day.

President Rodrigo Duterte would make it a month-long celebration under Proclamation 124 in 2017.

For Fr. Ritsche Gamaya, the director Archdiocesan Bible Apostolate of Davao and National Bible Month Co-convenor, the act of giving importance to the Bible is not just limited to the month of January during the NBM but throughout the year.

“Let us joy our hands together, listening, reflecting, living and sharing the word of God,” Fr. Gamaya said.

Despite doctrinal differences Pastor Badoy said they would focus on the commonality among the different denominations.

“We work on our commonality, we have so much in common like the love of God,” Pastor Badoy said.

“We do no start from our differences but we always see our commonality what we have share together, from what we have shared together, we work together,” Fr. Gamaya said.

Pastor Reuland and Fr. Ritsche are doing the rounds of visits among different government and private sector offices to promote the National Bible Month. They are also actively engaging the lay people on social media to preach the word of God.

Pastor Badoy is planning a bible reading at Davao City Rizal Park while the  Archdiocesan Bible Apostolate will have a Bible Symposium for the Youth on January 21 at San Pablo Parish to be participated by youths coming from different parishes in the archdiocese. (PIA/RG Alama)