President Marcos has not issued a proclamation declaring Jan. 2, 2024, a Tuesday, as a special non-working day, the Presidential Communications Office said Friday.
“Wala po (There’s none),” Presidential Communications Cheloy Garafil said in response to multiple queries from Malacañang reporters if the day after New Year’s Day is a holiday – after the same day this year was declared a holiday under Proclamation No. 90.
Mr. Marcos earlier declared Dec. 26, the day after Christmas, a special non-working day nationwide to encourage domestic tourism and to give families more time to spend together.
The administration adopted “holiday economics” in 2022 through Proclamation No. 90, which adjusted national holidays because “a longer weekend will help encourage domestic travel and increase tourism expenditures in the country.”
Last October, Malacañang released the list of regular holidays and special non-working days for 2024.
President Marcos signed Proclamation 368, which contains the list of holidays for next year.
Under the proclamation, the following dates are declared regular holidays and special non-working days:
Regular holidays:
Jan. 1 (Monday) – New Year’s Day
March 28 – Maundy Thursday
March 29 – Good Friday
April 9 (Tuesday) – Araw ng Kagitingan
May 1 (Wednesday) – Labor Day
June 12 (Wednesday) – Independence Day
Aug. 26 (last Monday of August) – National Heroes Day
Nov. 30 (Saturday) – Bonifacio Day
Dec. 25 (Wednesday) – Christmas Day
Dec. 30 (Monday) – Rizal Day
Special (non-working) days:
Aug. 21 (Wednesday) – Ninoy Aquino Day
Nov. 1 (Friday) – All Saints’ Day
Dec. 8 (Sunday) – Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
Dec. 31 (Tuesday) – Last Day of the Year
Additional special (non-working) days:
Feb. 10 (Saturday) – Chinese New Year
March 30 – Black Saturday
Nov. 2 (Saturday) – All Souls’ Day
Dec. 24 (Tuesday) – Christmas Eve
According to Proclamation 368, Feb. 10, 2024 may be declared as a special (non-working) day without detriment to public interest as Chinese New Year is one of the “most revered and festive events” celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines.
The proclamation also states that Black Saturday, which falls on March 30, 2024, has been traditionally declared a special non-working day nationwide, considering that the observance of Holy Week is “one of the most cherished traditions of the predominantly Catholic people.”
It said that under Republic Act (RA) 9256, Aug. 21 of every year is declared as a national non-working holiday to commemorate the death anniversary of former Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr.
Proclamation 368 also declares Dec. 8 of every as a special non-working holiday in the entire country to commemorate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, under RA 10966.
Under the proclamation, Nov. 2, 2024 has also been declared as an additional special non-working day to “strengthen family ties by providing more time for the traditional All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day activities, as well as promote domestic tourism.”
The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha will be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined, based on the Islamic calendar or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient.
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos is designated to recommend to the Office of the President the actual dates on which the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holidays will respectively fall.
Proclamation 368 directs the Department of Labor and Employment to promulgate the implementing guidelines. With Vince Lopez