PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. has declared three more days in 2023 as “non-working” days to give the public more time to spend with their family and encourage domestic travel and tourism under his administration’s version of the “holiday economics.”
The President, last November 11, signed Proclamation No. 90 that amended Proclamation No. 42 — which first declared the regular and special non-working holidays in 2023 — and declared the latest set of holidays for next year.
Under the proclamation, January 2, 2023 was declared a special non-working day while April 10, 2023 and November 27, 2023 were declared regular non-working holidays in lieu of the regular holidays nearest to the said dates.
All three days fall on a Monday and either follow or precede a regular holiday.
January 2 follows January 1 or New Year, which is a regular holiday but falls on a Sunday in 2023.
“In consideration of the Filipino tradition of visiting relatives and spending time with their families for this occasion, it is but fitting to declare January 2 (Monday) as an additional special non-working day throughout the country,” Marcos said in the proclamation.
April 10 follows April 9 or Araw ng Kagitingan, which also falls on a Sunday.
“To enable our countrymen to avail of the benefits of a longer weekend, Monday, April 10, 2023, in lieu of Sunday, April 9, 2023 may be declared as a non-working holiday, provided that the historical significance of Araw ng Kagitingan is maintained,” he said.
November 27 precedes November 30 or Bonifacio day which falls on a Thursday. It is also the nearest Monday to November 30.
The President said under Republic Act 9492, “27 November 2023 (Monday nearest November 30) may be declared as a non-working holiday while 30 November 2023 (Thursday) may be declared as a working day.”
Marcos said apart from the three dates, the other holidays declared under Proclamation 42 shall remain “unchanged, valid, and existing.
“There is a need to adjust these holidays pursuant to the principle of holiday economics wherein a longer weekend will help encourage domestic travel and increase tourism expenditures in the country,” he added in the proclamation.
NO PNP LEAVES
PNP personnel will not be allowed to go on vacation leave starting next month to ensure there will be enough policemen to secure people during the upcoming Christmas season.
“As early as December 15, all leaves of PNP personnel are cancelled and this will be until January 10,” PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo told a press briefing at Camp Crame yesterday.
Fajardo said PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. wants maximum police presence in areas frequented by people during the holidays to ensure public safety.
“This means no one is allowed to go on leave effective December 15 to ensure we have enough personnel for maximum police presence, in compliance with the directive of our chief PNP,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said Azurin wants 85 percent of the PNP strength to be deployed during the season. The PNP currently has around 220,000 personnel nationwide.
“Policemen rendering administrative duties are required to render patrol duties to augment police personnel rendering police and beat patrols,” Fajardo said.
“This early, we already have soft deployment in areas of convergence because the instruction of our chief PNP is to sustain maximum police presence,” added Fajardo.
Fajardo urged the public to always be on alert and give premium to personal security and safety, noting crime incidence, especially theft and robbery, traditionally increase during the Yuletide season.
“Normally, we see these in populated areas like markets, plazas, malls and even churches,” said Fajardo.
Last Tuesday, Fajardo reported a 2.66 percent decrease in index crimes from January to November 13 compared to the same period last year due to intensified police operations and enhanced police presence in areas where people gather.
She said the PNP is hoping to sustain the decrease during the Christmas season by sustaining patrols and police visibility in areas where crimes are likely to happen during the period. — With victor reyes
