By: Genalyn D. Kabiling
The public can now prepare for their vacations this early after the government released the official list of regular and special non-working days in the country in 2018.
President Duterte has signed Proclamation No. 269 declaring 10 regular holidays and eight special non-working days for next year, resulting into several long weekends.
The 2018 regular holidays are New Year’s Day, January 1, Monday; Maundy Thursday, March 29; Good Friday, March 30; 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; and Rizal Day, December 30, Sunday.
The special non-working holidays are Chinese New Year, February 16, Friday; EDSA People Power Revolution anniversary, February 25, Sunday; Black Saturday, March 31; Ninoy Aquino Day, August 21, Tuesday; All Saints’ Day, November 1, Thursday; and last day of the year, December 31, Monday.
Two additional special holidays are All Souls’ Day, November 2, Friday, and Christmas Eve, December 24, Monday. The extra holidays were declared to “strengthen family ties” in commemorating such activities as well as promote domestic tourism.
The proclamations declaring national holidays for Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha will be issued soon after the dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined. The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos have been designated to inform the Office of the President of the actual dates when the holidays will fall.
