Malacañang stops holiday economics

FILIPINOS no longer have long weekends to look forward to next year after President Benigno Aquino III dumped former President Gloria Arroyo’s holiday economics, an order that allowed the moving of holidays to the nearest Monday—except those that are religious in nature—to give workers longer weekends.

“It is within the powers of the President whether to move holidays that are movable to the nearest Monday or not. That is within his discretion,” chief presidential legal counsel Eduardo de Mesa said.

He said the holiday economics order was still in effect, but the President exercised his prerogative not to move the so-called movable holidays.

Under Proclamation 84 signed by Mr. Aquino on Monday, the regular holidays for 2011 are as follows: New Year’s Day on Jan. 1, Araw ng Kagitingan [Day of Valor] on April 9, Maundy Thursday on April 21, Good Friday on April 22, Labor Day on May 1, Independence Day on June 12, National Heroes Day on Aug. 29, Bonifacio Day on Nov. 30, Christmas Day on Dec. 25, and Rizal Day on Dec. 30.

The special non-working holidays are Ninoy Aquino Day on Aug. 21, All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1, and the last day of the year on Dec. 31.

Feb. 25 is a special working holiday (no classes) to mark the People Power Revolution of 1986 that drove the strongman Ferdinand Marcos from power.

“The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha shall hereafter 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,” Mr. Aquino said. –Joyce Pangco Pañares, Manila Standard Today