Senate OKs bills on provincial holidays

The Senate approved on Monday on its third and final reading 15 house bills seeking to declare special non-working holidays in several provinces to commemorate locally significant events.

Senator Sonny Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government and sponsor of the bills, said in a statement that these holidays would be opportunities for communities to honor historical events.

Among the approved bills is House Bill No. 5172, which declares June 19 as a special non-working holiday in Laguna to honor the birth of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

House Bill No. 5551 proposes to declare a special non-working holiday on September 2 to honor the birth of Simeon Ola has also been approved.

Ola is the last general from the Philippines to surrender to the American forces after the Philippine-American War.

Meanwhile, the Senate has also approved House Bill No. 5640, which seeks to declare September 3 as a holiday in Baguio to commemorate the surrender of the Japanese troops led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita.

House Bill No. 2483 aiming to declare July 4 as a holiday in Cadiz, Negros Occidental, in commemoration of its charter day anniversary has also been passed.

Other bills approved are House Bill Nos. 6178, 5563, 2484, 2132, 3710, 2129, 2131, 2130, 6418, 5641, and 2097, the declaration of special non-working holidays on January 11 in Bataan; April 21 in Orani, Bataan; June 11 in Sagay, Negros Occidental; June 15 in Oplo, Misamis Oriental; June 27 in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental; July 1 in Alubijid, Misamis Oriental; July 22 in Claveria, Misamis Oriental; September 1 in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental; October 26 in Catanduanes; December 1 in Padre Garcia, Batangas; and December 2 in Pasay City, to commemorate their respective founding anniversaries. /ee