WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 9492, dated July 24, 2007, amended Section 26, Chapter 7, Book 1 of Executive Order (EO) No. 292, also known as the Administrative Code of 1987, by declaring certain days (specific or movable) as special or regular holidays;

WHEREAS, RA No. 9492 provides that holidays, except those which are religious in nature, are moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order or proclamation;

WHEREAS, May 1 (Labor Day) has been celebrated on its exact days as a long cherished tradition of workers who fought very hard to institutionalize such a holiday in the country, as well as an international event celebrated on such exact date;

WHEREAS, in order to foster closer family ties during All Saints Day, as well as to enable our countrymen to observe Christmas more meaningfully, declaring November 2 (Monday) and December 24 (Thursday) as additional special (non-working) day throughout the country will strengthen the family relationship by providing longer weekends and renew ties for a longer period of time, as well as to promote domestic tourism.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. The following regular holidays and special days for the year 2009 shall be observed in the country:

SECTION 2. The proclamation declaring a national holiday for the observance of Eid’l Fitr shall hereafter be issued after the approximate date of the Islamic holiday calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient. This end, the Office on Muslim Affairs shall inform the Office of the President on which day the holiday shall fall.

SECTION 3. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall promulgate the implementing guidelines for this Proclamation.

SECTION 4. This Proclamation shall take effect immediately.

SECTION 5. This Proclamation shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 24th day of December in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eight.

(Sgd) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(Sgd) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary