Palace bares calendar of holidays for 2007

Malacañang recently issued Proclamation No. 1211 setting the calendar of holidays for the year 2007.

Aside from the eight original holidays, the proclamation also declares April 7, Black Saturday, November 2, All Souls' Day and December 24, Christmas Eve as special non-working holidays throughout the country. November 2 falls on Friday while December 24 falls on Monday.

The proclamation, which was signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on January 10, also moved the June 12 Independence Day holiday, which falls on Tuesday, a day earlier to June 11, which is Monday.

But "all activities and celebrations in observance of Independence Day shall remain to be observed on June 12, 2007," which means that June 12 is a regular working day nationwide.

In signing the proclamation, the President said that April 7, Black Saturday, may be declared as a special non-working holiday "to give our people the full and uninterrupted opportunity to ponder on the significance of the Holy Week and to properly observe its traditions with religious fervor, without prejudice to public interest."

She also noted that Nov. 2 might also be declared "as a special non-working holiday to give our people more time to observe All Saints' Day."

Aside from June 12, other regular holidays include April 5 (Maundy Thursday), April 6 (Good Friday), April 9 (Araw ng Kagitingan), May 1 (Labor Day), November 1 (All Saint's Day), November 30 (Bonifacio Day), December 25 (Christmas Day) and December 30 (Rizal Day). - Wenna A. Berondo