House passes bill vs ‘Filipino time’

The House of Representatives has passed a bill that seeks to cure "Filipino time" or tardiness habit by synchronizing the standard time nationwide. House Bill 6905 was passed on third and final reading at the House and has been transmitted to the Senate for plenary action, according to an article on the chamber's Web site. “By synchronizing the official watches and clocks in the entire archipelago, all Filipinos can sing the national anthem at the same time," said Valenzuela City Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo, the principal author of the bill. Should the measure become law, all national and local government offices shall display the PST on their official time devices, including bundy clocks. They will base their time on that provided by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) using its network time protocol. Under the bill, the Pagasa’s time unit, in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), shall be tasked to monitor, maintain and disseminate the PST nationwide. “With a set PST, we can welcome a new year in unison, blend time sensitive chemical mixtures like medicines and food ingredients and synchronize security locks and other devices," Gunigundo said. He added that an established PST can run air, land and sea transportation lines and develop appreciation of punctuality and practice the use of time wisely to be more productive at home, school and the workplace. The bill seeks to provide funds for the installation, operation and maintenance of synchronized time devices to be displayed in key public places. - KBK, GMANews.TV