MANILA, Philippines — The anniversary of the EDSA people power revolt has been excluded by Malacañang from the list of regular holidays and special non-working days for 2024, reportedly because the date falls on a Sunday.
Proclamation 368, signed on Oct. 11 by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin by authority of President Marcos, declared the following regular holidays: Jan. 1 (New Year’s Day), March 28 (Maundy Thursday), March 29 (Good Friday), April 9 (Araw ng Kagitingan), May 1 (Labor Day), June 12 (Independence Day), Aug. 26 (National Heroes Day, last
Monday of August), Nov. 30 (Bonifacio Day), Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) and Dec. 30 (Rizal Day).
Marcos, on the other hand, declared the following as special non-working days: Aug. 21 Ninoy Aquino Day, Nov. 1 All Saints’ Day, Dec. 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary and Dec. 31 Last Day of the Year. Also declared as special non-working days are Feb. 10 (Chinese New Year), March 30 (Black Saturday), Nov. 2 (All Souls’ Day) and Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve).
The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha will 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, the proclamation stated. The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos has been advised to recommend to the Office of the President the actual dates on which Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha holidays will respectively fall.
Meanwhile, Feb. 25, the anniversary of the EDSA people power revolution which toppled the dictatorship of Marcos’ late father and namesake, was not included in the list of holidays next year.
In a statement, the Office of the President said it maintains the respect for the commemoration of the EDSA people power revolution. However, such was not included in the list of special non-working days for 2024 as Feb. 25 falls on a Sunday.“There is a minimal socio-economic impact in declaring such day as a special non-working holiday since it coincides with the rest day for most workers/laborers,” it said.
Feb. 25 was declared as special non-working day this year to mark the 37th anniversary of the EDSA revolt, which, according to a previous Palace statement, “ushered political, social and economic reforms in the country.”