Marcos declares December 26, 2023 a special non-working day

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has declared December 26 a special non-working day to give Filipinos the "full opportunity to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones."

In Proclamation No. 425, Marcos said December 25, Christmas Day, would fall on a Monday.

"A longer weekend will encourage families to get together and strengthen their relationship leading to a better society," Marcos said.

"A longer weekend will also promote domestic tourism," he added.

Marcos ordered the Department of Labor and Employment to issue the appropriate circular to implement this proclamation for the private sector.

In his first December in Malacañang in 2022, Marcos also declared December 26 a special non-working day when Christmas Day fell on a Sunday.

Malacañang in October released the list of regular and special non-working holidays for the year 2024.

The list of regular holidays provided under Proclamation 368 dated October 11 and signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin as declared by the President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. are the following:

• January 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
• August 26 - National Heroes Day (Last Monday of August)
• November 30 - Bonifacio Day
• December 25 - Christmas Day
• December 30 - Rizal Day

On the other hand, the following were declared as special non-working days:

• February 10 - Chinese New Year
• March 30 - Black Saturday
• August 21 - Ninoy Aquino Day
• November 1 - All Saints’ Day
• November 2 - All Souls’ Day
• December 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
• December 24 - Christmas Eve
• December 31 - Last day of the year

People Power anniv not included

The list noticeably does not include February 25, which marks the anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, the event that ended the decades-long rule of Marcos' father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

Malacañang said the commemoration of the EDSA People Power Revolution was not included in the list because February 25, 2024 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 in a statement.

It added that the Office of the President "maintains the respect for the commemoration of the EDSA People Power Revolution."

Islam holidays

The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha, meanwhile, will only be 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.

As such, the proclamation has advised the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, at the appropriate time, to recommend to the Office of the President  theactual dates on which Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha holidays will respectively fall.  —NB, GMA Integrated News