Palace bares list of holidays for 2024

Malacañang on Friday released the list of regular holidays and special non-working days for 2024.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday signed Proclamation 368, which contains the list of holidays for next year.
Under the proclamation, the following dates are declared regular holidays and special non-working days:

Regular holidays:
January 1 (Monday) – New Year’s Day
March 28 – Maundy Thursday
March 29 – Good Friday
April 9 (Tuesday) – Araw ng Kagitingan
May 1 (Wednesday) – Labor Day
June 12 (Wednesday) – Independence Day
August 26 (last Monday of August) – National Heroes Day
November 30 (Saturday) – Bonifacio Day
December 25 (Wednesday) – Christmas Day
December 30 (Monday) – Rizal Day

Special (non-working) days:
August 21 (Wednesday) – Ninoy Aquino Day
November 1 (Friday) – All Saints’ Day
December 8 (Sunday) – Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
December 31 (Tuesday) – Last Day of the Year

Additional special (non-working) days:
February 10 (Saturday) – Chinese New Year
March 30 – Black Saturday
November 2 (Saturday) – All Souls’ Day
December 24 (Tuesday) – Christmas Eve
According to Proclamation 368, Feb. 10, 2024 may be declared as a special (non-working) day without detriment to public interest as Chinese New Year is one of the “most revered and festive events” celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines.
The proclamation also states that Black Saturday, which falls on March 30, 2024, has been traditionally declared a special non-working day nationwide, considering that the observance of Holy Week is “one of the most cherished traditions of the predominantly Catholic people.”
It said that under Republic Act (RA) 9256, Aug. 21 of every year is declared as a national non-working holiday to commemorate the death anniversary of former Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr.
Proclamation 368 also declares Dec. 8 of every as a special non-working holiday in the entire country to commemorate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, under RA 10966.
Under the proclamation, Nov. 2, 2024 has also been declared as an additional special non-working day to “strengthen family ties by providing more time for the traditional All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day activities, as well as promote domestic tourism.”
The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha will be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined, based on the Islamic calendar or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient.
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos is designated to recommend to the Office of the President the actual dates on which the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holidays will respectively fall.
Proclamation 368 directs the Department of Labor and Employment to promulgate the implementing guidelines.
The proclamation, which takes effect “immediately,” must be published in a newspaper of general circulation.

‘Feb. 25 falls on a Sunday’
Based on the new proclamation, Feb. 25, or the day Edsa People Power Revolution Anniversary is celebrated annually, has not been included in the list of holidays for 2024.
In a statement, the Office of the President (OP) explained the non-inclusion of Feb. 25, 2024 in the holiday list, saying it “falls on a Sunday.”
“The Office of the President maintains respect for the commemoration of the EDSA People Power Revolution. However, it was not included in the list of special non-working days for the year 2024 because February 25 falls on a Sunday,” the OP said.
“There is minimal socio-economic impact in declaring this day as a special non-working holiday since it coincides with the rest day for most workers and laborers,” it added. (PNA)