Palace announces 2012 holidays

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III has declared a total of 16 official holidays for 2012, Malacañang announced Thursday.

Aquino signed Proclamation 95, which designated 10 regular holidays next year, five special non-working days and one special holiday.

The proclamation was in accordance with Republic Act 9492, known as the “Holiday Economics,” which was made into law in 2007.

Following are next year’s holidays:

A. Regular Holidays
New Year’s Day: January 1 (Sunday)
Maundy Thursday: April 5
Good Friday: April 6
Araw ng Kagitingan: April 9 (Monday)

Labor Day: May 1 (Tuesday)
Independence Day: June 12 (Tuesday)
National Heroes Day: August 27 (Last Monday of August)
Bonifacio Day: November 30 (Friday)
Christmas Day: December 25 (Tuesday)
Rizal Day: December 30 (Sunday)

B. Special (Non-Working) Days
Chinese New Year: January 23 (Monday)
Ninoy Aquino Day: August 21 (Tuesday)
All Saints Day: November 1 (Thursday)
Additional special (non-working) day: November 2 (Friday)
Last Day of the Year: December 31 (Monday

C. Special Holiday (for all schools)
EDSA Revolution Anniversary: February 25 (Saturday)

Chinese New Year, which will fall on January 23, 2012, may be declared as a special non-working day without detriment to public interest, the proclamation said.

The Chinese New Year is “ one of the most revered and festive events celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines by both Chinese Filipinos and ordinary Filipinos as well; and the joint celebration is a manifestation of our solidarity with our Chinese Filipino brethren who have been part of our lives in many respects as a country and as a people,” it added.

November 2, 2012 will be declared as a special non-working day “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.”

Traditionally, only November 1 (All Saints’ Day) is declared a holiday.

Meanwhile, the proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha will be issued after it is determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar, the proclamation read.

The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos will issue the dates when will the Islamic holidays fall, it added.

The Department of Labor and Employment will promulgate the implementing guidelines for the proclamation, it said.