Marcos declares November 4 as Day of Mourning for Kristine victims

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has declared Nov. 4 a day of national mourning for those who died during the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, which has claimed the lives of more than a hundred people and has affected about seven million others.

Proclamation 728 issued last Oct. 30 noted that Kristine, whose international name is Trami, brought torrential rains and violent winds that triggered widespread flooding and landslides across the country from Oct. 21 to 25.

The storm caused tremendous loss of life and property destruction, immense damage to agriculture and critical infrastructure and lifelines, and the disruption of people’s livelihoods and way of life, it added.

“The nation deeply mourns this tragic loss, and joins the families and loved ones of our departed brothers and sisters in this moment of immense sorrow,” the proclamation, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin by the authority of Marcos, read.

“Now, therefore, I, Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby declare 04 November 2024 as a Day of National Mourning, in solidarity with the bereaved families and loved ones of those who perished due to the devastation brought by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine,” it added.

Marcos urged the nation to offer prayers for the eternal repose of the souls of the storm fatalities.

The national flag will be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset in all government buildings and installations throughout the Philippines and abroad on Nov. 4, as provided by the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines.

The IRR of the law states that the Philippine flag shall be flown at half-mast on all buildings and places where it is displayed as a sign of mourning during tragedies of national significance, as directed by the Office of the President.

As of Oct. 30, Kristine has left 139 people dead and has affected 1,788,630 families or 7,033,922 persons, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Marcos declares more local holidays, celebrations

The President has issued more proclamations declaring local holidays and highlighting the contributions of key sectors. Thirteen of the latest 16 proclamations declared special non-working days in various parts of the country.

Proclamation 711 declared Nov. 12 a special non-working day in Valenzuela City to celebrate its 401st founding anniversary; Proclamation 712 declared Nov. 15 a special non-working day in Oriental Mindoro, which is celebrating its 74th founding anniversary; Proclamation 713 declared Nov. 22 a special non-working day in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija to allow its residents to join the annual festival of thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest; while Proclamation 714 declared Dec. 5 a holiday in the same city to celebrate its 59th foundation day.

Marcos also issued Proclamation 715, which declared Nov. 22 a special non-working day in Itogon, Benguet to celebrate its 124th founding anniversary; and Proclamation 716, which declared the same day a holiday in Tublay, also in Benguet, to commemorate its founding anniversary.

Proclamation 717, meanwhile, declares Nov. 23 a holiday in Benguet province to celebrate its 124th founding anniversary.

Also issued were Proclamation 718, which declared Nov. 25 a special non-working day in Maragusan, Davao de Oro to celebrate the Araw ng Maragusan; Proclamation 719, which declared Nov. 26 a holiday in Dasmariñas, Cavite to commemorate its founding anniversary; Proclamation 720, which declared Nov. 28 a special non-working day in Sarangani, which will mark its 32nd foundation anniversary and the holding of the 22nd MunaTo festival; and Proclamation 721 declared Nov. 28 a special non-working day in Piñan, Zamboanga del Norte to celebrate its 73rd founding anniversary.

Malacañang likewise issued Proclamation 725, which declared Nov. 8 a special non-working day in

Tanay, Rizal to allow its residents to participate in the 14th Hane Festival; and Proclamation 726, which declared Nov. 15 a special non-working day in Borongan City, Eastern Samar to commemorate the 154th birth anniversary of Eugenio Daza, the overall commander of revolutionary forces in the province during the Philippine war against the US.

Two of the proclamations seek to recognize the importance of key sectors, while another aims to create awareness about myopia or nearsightedness.

Proclamation 723 declared the Oct. 19 of every year as Transport Cooperative Day; while Proclamation 724 declared the month of December as Philippine Architecture Festival-National Architecture Month.

Meanwhile, Proclamation 722 declared the second week of October of every year as National Myopia Consciousness Week.