Filipinos have 20 days next year to stay at home or have a vacation with family and friends, based on the list of regular and special holidays and special nonworking days released by Malacañang on Monday.
In Proclamation 655 signed Sept. 25, President Benigno Aquino III ordered the Department of Labor and Employment to promulgate the implementing guidelines for it.
A. Regular Holidays
New Year’s Day (Jan. 1, Wednesday)
Araw ng Kagitingan (April 9, Wednesday)
Maundy Thursday (April 17)
Good Friday (April 18)
Labor Day (May 1, Thursday)
Independence Day (June 12, Thursday)
National Heroes Day (Aug. 25, last Monday of August)
Bonifacio Day (Nov. 30, Sunday)
Christmas Day (Dec. 25, Thursday)
Rizal Day (Dec. 39, Tuesday)
B. Special (Non-Working) days
Chinese New Year (Jan. 31, Friday)
Black Saturday (April 19)
Ninoy Aquino Day (Aug. 21, Thursday)
All Saints' Day (Nov. 1, Saturday)
Additional special (non-working) days (Dec. 24, Wednesday) (Dec. 26 Friday)
Last Day of the Year (Dec. 31, Wednesday)
C. Special Holiday (for all schools)
EDSA Revolution Anniversary - (Feb. 25, Tuesday)
Not included io the list are the dates for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha, which are both national holidays. Republic Act No. 9849 provides that the Eidul Adha shall be celebrated as a national holiday.
Proclamations for the two will be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient.
In line with this, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) was ordered to inform the Office of the President on which days the holidays shall respectively fall.
The proclamation also cited Republic Act 9492 for the moving of the holidays, except those which are religious in nature, to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order or proclamation
It also mentioned that EDSA People Power Revolution is important as it restored and ushered political, social and economic reforms in the country and serves as an inspiration to Filipinos everywhere as a nation and as a people;
It further stated that Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is one of the most revered and festive events celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines by both Chinese-Filipinos and ordinary Filipinos as well.
“The joint celebration is a manifestation of our solidarity with our Chinese-Filipino brethren who have been part of our lives in many respects as a country and as a people; 31 January 2014 may be declared as a special (non-working) day without detriment to public interest,” the proclamation said.
Malacañang also continued with the tradition of declaring Black Saturday, falling between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, a special (non-working) day to give Filipinos “full and uninterrupted opportunity to ponder the significance of Holy Week and to properly observe its traditions with religious fervor, without prejudice to public interest.”
“The observance of Holy Week is one of our people’s most cherished traditions,” it said.
It also declared December 24 (Wednesday) and December 26, 2014 (Friday) as additional special (non-working) days throughout the country “in order to foster closer family ties and enable our countrymen to observe Christmas more meaningfully.” — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News
