Long Holidays of 2009

Snagged and reposted from Thea to serve as a reminder to me on planning some vacation holidays.

There will be 10 long holidays in 2009.

Last Christmas eve, Arroyo signed Proclamation 1699 that lays out the holiday schedule this year.

First on the holiday list is a three-day weekend before the Easter break.

The observance of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) on April 9 (Thursday) was moved to the nearest Monday which is April 6.

This will be followed by the Easter holidays from April 9 (Maundy Thursday) until April 12 (Easter Sunday).

The other regular holidays are:

Labor Day-May 1(Friday);
Independence Day- June 12 (Friday);
National Heroes Day- August 31 (Monday);
Bonifacio Day - November 30 (Monday);
Christmas Day- December 25 (Friday); and,
Rizal Day- December 30 (Wednesday).

Arroyo declared the following as Special Non-Working Days:

Ninoy Aquino Day - August 21 (Friday);
All Saints Day - November 1 (Sunday) and All Soul’s Day - November 2 (Monday);
Christmas Eve - December 24 (Thursday); and,
New Year’s Eve - December 31 (Thursday).

The president has long been implementing holiday economics to boost domestic tourism and allow Filipinos to have more time with their families.

Holiday economics entails the transfer of some holidays to a Monday or a Friday so that Filipinos may enjoy longer weekends.

Businessmen earlier complained over the recent two-week Christmas-New Year break.

However, Malacañang maintained consultations were made with all sectors concerned, including the business community, before issuing this year’s holiday list. — With a report from Nadia Trinidad, ABS-CBN News

as of 01/07/2009 8:50 PM