MANILA, Philippines–Malacañang on Wednesday released the list of official holidays for 2015 based on Proclamation No. 831.
Students and people planning to take vacations should note that the list includes 18 holidays and 10 long weekends.
Proclamation No. 831, which was approved on July 17, listed down the following regular and special holidays:
A. Regular Holidays
New Year’s Day – 1 January (Thursday)
Maundy Thursday – 2 April
Good Friday – 3 April
Araw ng Kagitingan – 9 April (Thursday)
Labor Day – 1 May (Friday)
Independence Day – 12 June (Friday)
National Heroes Day – 31 August (Last Monday of August)
Bonifacio Day – 30 November (Monday)
Christmas Day – 25 December (Friday)
Rizal Day – 30 December (Wednesday)
B. Special (Non-Working) Day
Chinese New Year – 19 February (Thursday)
Black Saturday – 4 April
Ninoy Aquino Day – 21 August (Friday)
All Saints Day – 1 November (Sunday)
Additional special (non-working) days – 2 January (Friday)
– 24 December (Thursday)
Last Day of the Year – 31 December (Thursday)
C. Special Holiday (for all schools)
EDSA Revolution Anniversary – 25 February (Wednesday)
According to the proclamation, Republic Act no. 2492 allows holidays, except those religious in nature, to be moved to the nearest Monday.
It also explained the basis of some of the holidays such as the Chinese New Year, which is not only celebrated in China but also in the Philippines by the Chinese-Filipino community.
It said January 2 and December 24 were regularly declared as additional special non-working days “to foster closer family ties and enable to observe New Year and Christmas more meaningfully.”
On the other hand, the national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha will later be announced based on the Islamic or lunar calendar.
“The early issuance of the proclamation is meant to allow companies and institutions to plan and maximize their activities ahead of time and for Filipino families to foster closer family bonds through the 10 long weekends provided for in the proclamation,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement.