Long weekend for Ninoy Aquino, National Heroes’ Days

MANILA, Philippines — It will be a long weekend next week as President Marcos yesterday moved the commemoration of the assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. from Aug. 21 to Aug. 23, a Friday, to provide for a longer weekend and to promote domestic tourism.

Ninoy Aquino Day was moved to Aug. 23  through Proclamation No. 665 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin by the authority of the President.

The holiday will extend to Monday, Aug. 26, for National Heroes’ Day.

Republic Act 9492 enacted in 2007 provides that Ninoy Aquino Day may be celebrated on the Monday nearest to Aug. 21 unless modified by law or proclamation. Meanwhile, Proclamation 368 issued on Oct. 11, 2023 declared Aug. 21, a Wednesday, as a special non-working day to commemorate Aquino’s death.

“In order to provide for a longer weekend thereby promoting domestic tourism, the celebration of Ninoy Aquino Day may be moved from 21 August 2024 (Wednesday) to 23 August 2024 (Friday) provided that the historical significance of Ninoy Aquino Day is maintained,” Marcos said.

The President directed the labor department to issue the appropriate circular to implement the proclamation for the private sector.

Since Ninoy Aquino Day was moved to Aug. 23, a Friday, Filipinos will be having a longer holiday since Aug. 26, a Monday, will also be a non-working day in observance of National Heroes Day.

Aquino was a fierce critic of Marcos’ late father and namesake whose assassination in 1983 triggered a wave of protests that paved the way to the 1986 EDSA people power revolution. The military-backed revolution catapulted Aquino’s widow Corazon to the presidency and forced the elder Marcos and his family into exile in Hawaii.