Regular and Special Non-Working Holidays for 2019 (Proclamation No. 555)

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
PROCLAMATION NO. 555

DECLARING THE REGULAR HOLIDAYS AND SPECIAL (NON-WORKING) DAYS FOR THE YEAR 2019

WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 9492, dated 24 July 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, R.A. No 9849 dated 11 December 2009, provides that the Eidul Adha shall be celebrated as a national holiday;

WHEREAS, on 05 February 2019, Chinese nationals all over the will celebrate Spring Festival, popularly know as the Chinese New Year, which is one of the most revered and festive events celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines, and such date may be declared as a special (non-working) day without detriment to public interest;

WHEREAS, on 25 February 2019, the country will commemorate the 33rd Anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, which restored and ushered political, social, and economic reforms in the country;

WHEREAS, Black Saturday, which falls on 20 April 2019, has been traditionally declared a special (non-working) day throughout the country, the observance of Holy Week being one of the most cherished traditions of our predominantly Catholic people;

WHEREAS, declaring 02 November 2019 (Saturday) and 24 December 2019 (Tuesday), as additional special (non-working) days throughout the country will strengthen family ties by providing more time for the traditional All Saint’s Day, All Souls’ Day, and Christmas Day commemorative activities, and will promote domestic tourism as well;

WHEREAS, RA No. 10966 dated 28 December 2017, provides that December 8 of every year shall be celebrated as a special non-working holiday in the entire country to commemorate the Feast of Immaculate Conception of Mary;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, 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 2019 shall be observed in the country:

A. Regular Holidays

New Year’s Day – 1 January
Araw ng Kagitingan – 9 April (Tuesday)
Maundy Thursday – 18 April
Good Friday – 19 April
Labor Day – 1 May (Wednesday)
Independence Day – 12 June (Wednesday)
National Heroes Day – 26 August (Last Monday of August)
Bonifacio Day – 30 November
Christmas Day – 25 December (Wednesday)
Rizal Day – 30 December (Monday)

B. Special (Non-Working) Days

Chinese New Year – 05 February (Tuesday)
EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary – 25 February (Monday)
Black Saturday – 20 April
Ninoy Aquino Day – 21 August (Wednesday)
All Saint’s Day – 1 November (Friday)
Feast of Immaculate Conception of Mary – 8 December (Tuesday)
Last Day of the Year – 31 December (Tuesday)

Additional special (non-working) days –

2 November (Saturday)
24 December (Tuesday)

SECTION 2. The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eidul 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 of the actual dates on which these holidays shall respectively fall.

SECTION 3. The Department of Labor and Employment 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.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 15th day of August in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eighteen.

By the President.

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