2013 REGULAR AND SPECIAL HOLIDAYS

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

PROCLAMATION NO. 459

DECLARING THE REGULAR HOLIDAYS, SPECIAL (NON-WORKING) DAYS, AND SPECIAL HOLIDAY (FOR ALL SCHOOLS) FOR THE YEAR 2013

WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 9492, dated July 24, 2007, amended Section 26, Chapter 7, Book I of Executive Order (EO) No. 292, also known as the Administrative Code of 1987, by declaring certain days (specific or movable) as special or regular holidays. 

WHEREAS, RA No. 9492 provides that holidays, except those which are religious in nature, are moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order or proclamation;

WHEREAS, RA No. 9849 provides that the Eidul Adha shall be celebrated as a national holiday;

WHEREAS, the EDSA People Power Revolution, which restored and ushered political, social and economic reforms in the country, serves as an inspiration to Filipinos everywhere as a nation and as a people;

WHEREAS, Saturday, 30 March 2013 falls between Good Friday and Easter Sunday; Black Saturday, falling between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, has been traditionally declared a special (non-working) day throughout the country because the observance of Holy Week is one of our people's most cherished traditions and they must be given the full and uninterrupted opportunity to ponder on the significance of Holy Week and to properly observe its traditions with religious fervor, without prejudice to public interest;

WHEREAS, Saturday, 2 November 2013, falling between Friday, 1 November 2013 (All Saints Day) and Sunday, has been traditionally declared a special (non-working) day throughout the country;

WHEREAS, to give full opportunity to our people to properly observe All Saints Day with all its religious fervor which invariably requires them to travel to and from different regions in the country, Saturday, 2 November 2013, may be declared as a special (non-working) day without detriment to public interest. 

WHEREAS, in order to foster closer family ties and enable our countrymen to observe Christmas more meaningfully, it is but fitting to declare December 24, (Tuesday) as an additional special (non-working) day throughout the country.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution as President of the Philippines, do hereby declare:

SECTION 1. The following regular holidays and special days for the year 2013 shall be observed in the country:

A. REGULAR HOLIDAYS

New Year's Day                                    -          January 1 (Tuesday)

Maundy Thursday                                 -          March 28

Good Friday                                         -          March 29

Araw ng Kagitingan                               -          April 9 (Tuesday)

Labor Day                                            -          May 1 (Wednesday)

Independence Day                                -          June 12 (Wednesday)

National Heroes Day                             -          August 26 (Last Monday of August)

Bonifacio Day                                       -          November 30 (Saturday)

Christmas Day                                     -          December 25 (Wednesday)

Rizal Day                                             -          December 30 (Monday)

B. SPECIAL (NON-WORKING) DAYS

Black Saturday                                     -         March 30

Ninoy Aquino Day                                 -         August 21 (Wednesday)

All Saints Day                                      -         November 1 (Friday)

Additional Special (non-working) days     -         November 2 (Saturday)

                                                                     December 24 (Tuesday)

Last Day of the Year                             -         December 31 (Tuesday)

C. SPECIAL HOLIDAY (for all schools)

EDSA Revolution Anniversary                     -         February 25 (Monday)

SECTION 2.       The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid'l Fitr and Eidul Adha shall hereafter 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. To this end, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) shall inform the Office of the President on which day the holiday shall fall. 

SECTION 3.       The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall promulgate the implementing guidelines for this Proclamation.

SECTION 4.        This Proclamation shall take effect immediately. 

SECTION 5.        This Proclamation shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation.