Palace announces holidays for 2010

MANILA, Philippines – In response to calls from the business sector for an early announcement of the schedule of holidays, President Arroyo has released presidential proclamation declaring all the holidays for 2010.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the business sector has long complained of the last minute declarations of special non-working holidays, which have affected their operations.

“I only gathered from the Department of Labor and Employment that a big company will lose up to P8 million a day every time non-working holidays are declared,” Ermita said.

Proclamation 1841, signed by Mrs. Arroyo last Tuesday, lists all the regular, special non-working and special holidays (for all schools) for 2010 as required by Republic Act 9492 or the law rationalizing the country’s holidays.

The law provides that holidays, except those which are religious in nature, be moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise mentioned by law, order or proclamation.

The list of regular holidays for 2010 is as follows:

Jan. 1, New Year’s Day; April 1, Maundy Thursday; April 9, Araw ng Kagitingan; May 1, Labor Day; June 14, Independence Day; Aug. 30, National Heroes Day; Nov. 29, Bonifacio Day; Dec. 25, Christmas Day; and Dec. 27, Rizal Day.

The special non-working holidays are Aug. 23, Ninoy Aquino Day; Nov. 1, All Saints’ Day; and Dec. 31, the last day of the year.

The President, “in order to foster closer family ties and enable our countrymen to observe Christmas more meaningfully,” added Dec. 24 as a special non-working day.

“This will also serve to strengthen family relationships by providing a longer weekend and renewing ties for a longer period of time as well as promote domestic tourism,” the proclamation stated.

A special holiday, which applies only to schools, was also included in the proclamation, namely Feb. 22 for the celebration of the EDSA People Power Revolution.

“The EDSA People Power Revolution, which restored and ushered political, social and economic reforms in the country, serves as an inspiration to Filipinos everywhere as a nation and as a people,” the proclamation stated.

In the case of the Islamic holidays Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha, separate proclamations would be issued once the approximate dates have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra), the lunar calendar or upon Islamic calculations.

These holidays would be celebrated as regional holidays in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. – Marvin Sy, Philippine Star