Question & AnswerQ&A (PROCLAMATION NO. 42)
Republic Act (RA) No. 9492 dated 24 July 2007 amended Section 26, Chapter 7, Book I of Executive Order No. 292, also known as the Administrative Code of 1987, to declare certain days as special or regular holidays.
The EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary is commemorated on February 25 every year as a special (non-working) day.
The regular holidays for 2023 are: New Year's Day (January 1), Araw ng Kagitingan (April 9), Maundy Thursday (April 6), Good Friday (April 7), Labor Day (May 1), Independence Day (June 12), National Heroes Day (last Monday of August, August 28), Bonifacio Day (November 30), Christmas Day (December 25), and Rizal Day (December 30).
Black Saturday has been traditionally declared a special (non-working) day due to the observance of Holy Week, a cherished tradition of the predominantly Catholic population in the country.
August 21 of every year is declared as Ninoy Aquino Day, a national non-working holiday commemorating the death anniversary of former Senator Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., by virtue of RA No. 9256 dated February 25, 2004.
Section 2 of Proclamation No. 42 states that proclamations declaring national holidays for Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha shall be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays are determined according to the Islamic calendar or lunar calendar, with recommendations from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.
An additional special (non-working) day is declared on November 2, 2023 (Thursday), to strengthen family ties and promote domestic tourism in connection with All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day activities.
The Department of Labor and Employment is responsible for promulgating the implementing guidelines for this Proclamation.
The Proclamation took effect immediately upon signing on August 22, 2022, and it was required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation as stated in Section 5.
National Heroes Day is observed on the last Monday of August, which falls on August 28 in 2023, as a regular holiday.