Malacañang bares list of holidays for 2009

Malacañang released yesterday the list of holidays for the year as a guide to all of the country’s workers and employers.

Proclamation 1699, issued by President Arroyo last Dec. 24, lists all the regular and special non-working holidays as mandated by Republic Act 9492 or the law rationalizing the country’s holidays.

The first holiday and special non-working holidays of the year were Jan. 1 and 2 but these two dates were already included in earlier proclamations by the President.

The next holiday is on April 6 to commemorate Araw ng Kagitingan.

Two more regular holidays will follow on April 9 Maundy Thursday and April 10 Good Friday.

May 1 or Labor Day would fall on a Friday and even though the President is allowed to move this to the nearest Monday as provided for under RA 9492, she has decided to leave this holiday on its exact day.

“May 1 has been celebrated on its exact day as a long cherished tradition of workers who fought very hard to institutionalize such a holiday in the country as well as an international event celebrated on such exact date,” the President said.

The rest of the regular holidays are as follows: Independence Day, June 12; National Heroes’ Day, Aug. 31; Bonifacio Day, Nov. 30; Christmas Day, Dec. 25; and Rizal Day, Dec. 30.

The following are special non-working days:

Ninoy Aquino Day, Aug. 21; All Saints’ Day, Nov. 1; and the last day of the year, Dec. 31.

Two additional special non-working days were included by the President on Nov. 2 and Dec. 24.

In the case of the Islamic holiday of Eid’l Fitr or the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the date would be determined at a later time.

As was done in previous years, the date would be determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient.

Meanwhile, the Makati Business Club (MBC) welcomed Malacañang’s early announcement of the official holidays in 2009.

Workers, the group noted, will be able to plan ahead whenever there is a long weekend, which means gains for the domestic travel industry, the transportation sector, the retail industry, and consumption in general.

“It will help domestic tourism which is what we need now since we expect a decline in international travel. People can plan their trip to other parts of the Philippines,” MBC executive director Alberto Lim said. – Marvin Sy Updated with Michael Punongbayan, Philippine Star