Malacañang on Friday released the copy of Proclamation 845, which enumerates the regular holidays and special non-working days for 2020.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed on November 15 the proclamation, which takes effect “immediately.”
The 2020 regular holidays are January 1 (Wednesday) – New Year’s Day; April 9 (Thursday) – Araw ng Kagitingan and Maundy Thursday; April 10 – Good Friday; May 1 (Friday) – Labor Day; June 12 (Friday) – Independence Day; August 31 (last Monday of August) – National Heroes Day; November 30 (Monday) – Bonifacio Day; December 25 (Friday) – Christmas Day; and December 30 (Wednesday) – Rizal Day.
Special non-working days include January 25 (Saturday) – Chinese New Year; February 25 (Tuesday) – EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary; April 11 – Black Saturday; August 21 (Friday) – Ninoy Aquino Day; November 1 (Sunday) – All Saints' Day; December 8 (Tuesday) – Feast of the Immaculate Concepcion of Mary; December 31 (Thursday) – Last Day of the Year.
The proclamation also declares November 2 (Monday) and December 24 (Thursday) next year as additional special non-working days.
Proclamation 845 declares January 25, 2020 as a special non-working day because Chinese nationals worldwide celebrate Chinese New Year, which is “one of the most revered and festive events celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines.”
The presidential proclamation also stresses the need to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of EDSA People Power Revolution on February 25, 2020 because it “restored democracy and ushered political, social and economic reforms in the country.”
It also notes that Black Saturday, which falls on April 11, 2020, has been traditionally declared as a special non-working day nationwide, in observance of Holy Week that is “one of the most cherished traditions of our predominantly Catholic people.”
The proclamation also emphasizes that declaring November 2 and December 24 as additional special non-working days nationwide “will strengthen family ties by providing more time for the traditional All Saints' Day, All Souls’ Day and Christmas Day commemorative activities, and will promote domestic tourism as well.”
Meanwhile, December 8 of every year is celebrated as a special non-working holiday in the entire country to commemorate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, as provided under Republic Act 10966 signed by Duterte on December 28, 2017.
The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of the Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha will be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined, in the accordance with the Islamic calendar or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient.
Proclamation 845 must be published in a newspaper of general circulation. (Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos/PNA)
