‘Eid al-Fitr’ now a national holiday

President Arroyo signed into law yesterday five bills, one of them Republic Act 9177 which declares the Islamic feast of Eid al-Fitr as a national holiday.

Under the new law, the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal is now a national holiday to allow Muslim Filipinos nationwide to celebrate Eid al-Fitr.

RA 9177 also proclaimed the 10th day of the Islamic month of Zhulhijja a holiday in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

RA 9177 amended Section 26, Chapter 7 of Executive Order No, 292, the Administrative Code of 1987.

During ceremonies in Malacañang, Mrs. Arroyo also signed four other new laws. These are:

• Republic Act 9174 — An act amending Republic Act 6768 entitled "An act Instituting a Balikbayan Program," by providing additional benefits and privileges to balikbayans and other purposes.

• Republic Act 9175 — An Act Regulating the Ownership, Possession, Sale, Importation and Use of Chain Saws, Penalizing Violations Thereof and for other Purposes.

• Republic Act 9176 — An Act Extending the Period Until December 31, 2020 for the Filing of Applications for Administrative Legalization (Free Patent) and Judicial Confirmation of Imperfect and Incomplete Titles to Alienable and Disposable Lands of the Public Domain, Amending for this Purpose Commonwealth Act Numbered 141, As Amended, Otherwise Known as the Public Land Act.

• Republic Act 9178 — An Act to Promote the Establishment of Barangay Micro-Business Enterprises, Providing Incentives and Benefits Therefore, and for Other Purposes.

After the signing ceremonies, Mrs. Arroyo thanked the opposition in Congress for contributing to the "intelligent debate" on the bills that led to their passage into law.

She hailed the enactment of RA 9176 which extended the Free Patent Law to help boost her administration’s urban land reform program.

Mrs. Arroyo said the new law would benefit some two million "informal settlers" nationwide, who would be given the chance to have their own land.

The President said RA 9176 would implement the principle of her consultant, Peruvian socio-economist Dr. Hernando Desoto, to bring "above ground" the so-called "underground economy."

RA 9178 seeks to encourage barangay micro-business enterprises to support the government’s campaign to promote small and medium enterprises as part of her administration’s eight-point program for the next six months, Mrs. Arroyo added.

Present at the signing ceremonies were Senate President Franklin Drilon and Speaker Jose de Venecia, as well as pro-administration senators and congressmen.

Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III and House Minority Leader Carlos Padilla did not attend the ceremonies. – Marichu Villanueva