2016 Rings in With Long Weekends on Calendar
MANILA- Filipinos can look forward to long weekends this year based on Proclamation No. 1105 signed by President Benigno Aquino 3rd on August 20, 2015.
Aside from New Year’s Day that gave workers extended break, there will be five more long weekends in 2016 as certain holidays either fall on a Monday or a Friday. These are the weekend of the Chinese New Year on February 8, a Monday; Maundy Thursday and Good Friday on March 24 and 25, respectively; National Heroes’ Day, which falls on August 29, also aMonday; October 31, Monday, November 1, All Saints’ Day, a Tuesday; and Rizal Day on December 30, a Friday, Manila Times reported.
Based on Proclamation No. 1105, regular holidays include New Year’s Day, January 1 (Friday); Maundy Thursday, March 24; Good Friday, March 25; Araw ng Kagitingan, April 9 (Saturday); Labor Day, May 1 (Sunday); Independence Day, June 12(Sunday); National Heroes Day, August 29 (Monday); Bonifacio Day, November 30 (Wednesday); Christmas Day, December 25 (Sunday); and Rizal Day, December 30 (Friday), the report said.
Special non-working days are Chinese New Year, February 8 (Monday); 30th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, February 25; Black Saturday, March 26; Ninoy Aquino Day, August 21 (Sunday); All Saints’ Day November 1(Tuesday); and additional special (non-working) days: January 2 (Saturday); October 31 (Monday); Christmas Eve, December 24 (Saturday); and New Year’s Eve, December 31 (Saturday), it added.
The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha will 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, Manila Times reported.
Meanwhile, Malacañang expressed optimism that the government will achieve the permanent change through the administration’s “tuwid na daan” (straight path) reform policy and with the divine guidance and help of every Filipino, the report said.