Malacañang announces two non-working holidays for the remainder of November

The Office of the President has announced two non-working holidays for the remainder of this month:

1. November 16, 2010 (a Tuesday), in celebration of Eid’l Adha

Background:

Eid’l Adha (or Eidul Adha; translating to “Feast of Sacrifice”) is one of the two most important feasts of the Islamic faith, the other being Eid el-Fitr, which was celebrated September 10 of this year.

Eid’l Adha was previously celebrated in the Philippines only as a regional holiday in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

On December 2009, Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act 9849, declaring a national holiday the observance of Eid’l Adha—a movable date based on the twelfth month of the Islamic Calendar—although it was not declared a national holiday in 2009 as the RA was approved on December 11, days after the celebration of Eid’l Adha for that year.

This year, Eid’l Adha will be celebrated on the 16^th of November. It was declared a national holiday by President Aquino through Proclamation No. 60. As a religious holiday,  Eid’l Adha was not subjected to former President Arroyo’s “Holiday Economics” policy. (See Proclamation 1841.)

Advisory:

On the 16^th, the pay rules governing a regular holiday as well as core labor standards apply to all workers in the private sector. Please see here for details.

Also, the DFA–Office of Consular Affairs will be closed for receiving and processing of passports and authenticated documents on the 16^th. However, the Passport Releasing area will remain open to the public to  accommodate applicants who are scheduled to claim their passports. Passport applicants with confirmed passport appointments on November 16 will be accommodated for processing on November 15, 17, to 19. Please see here for details.

2. November 29, 2010 (a Monday), in celebration of Bonifacio Day

Background:

National hero and historical figure Andres Bonifacio, founder of the Katipunan, was born on November 30, 1863, the date we now recognize as Bonifacio Day—a regular national holiday under the Administrative Code of 1987.

Although no proclamation on Bonifacio Day was signed this year, the Office of the President decided to keep relevant last year’s Proclamation No. 1841 (following Republic Act 9492), declaring instead November 29—

as the nearest Monday to the 30th of November—a regular holiday.

(Source: http://www.gov.ph/2010/11/12/advisory-and-briefer-on-the-november-2010-holidays/ )