Malacañang releases regular holidays, special non-working days for 2021

President Rodrigo Duterte, through Proclamation 986 signed on July 30, released the list of regular and special non-working holidays for 2021.

Philippine holidays 2021

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Regular holidays

  • New Year’s Day January 1 (Friday)
  • Araw ng Kagitingan April 9 (Friday)
  • Maundy Thursday April 1
  • Good Friday  April 2
  • Labor Day  May 1 (Saturday)
  • Independence Day June 12 (Saturday)
  • National Heroes Day August 30 (last Monday of August)
  • Bonifacio Day  November 30 (Tuesday)
  • Christmas Day December 25 (Saturday)
  • Rizal Day  December 30 (Thursday)

Special non-working days

  • Chinese New Year February 12 (Friday)
  • EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary February 25 (Thursday)
  • Black Saturday April 3
  • Ninoy Aquino Day August 21 (Saturday)
  • All Saints’ Day  November 1 (Monday)
  • Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary December 8 (Wednesday)
  • Last Day of the Year December 31 (Friday)

Additional special non-working days

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  • All Souls’ Day November 2 (Tuesday)
  • Christmas Eve December 24 (Friday)

Duterte ordered the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos to inform the Office of the President of the actual dates for the observance of Eid’ l Fitr and Eid’ l Adha, which are both Islamic holidays.

Also read: Hiring more healthcare workers’ urgent’ – UP professor


ECQ useless if government will not take action – health advocates

It is useless to place an area in enhanced community quarantine if the government does not take comprehensive action and recalibration of strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to a group of health advocates.

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According to Julie Caguiat, co-convenor of the Coalition for People’s Right to Health, the government was neglected the public interest when the government first subjected Metro Manila and other parts of the country to the ECQ.

Instead of the medical approach to the pandemic, he said, the government is using a militaristic approach that only causes fear.

“Technically, okay na mag-ECQ. Pero ang aming fear, it would still be a militaristic approach and will really have an impact on the socio-economic status of many people,” said Caguiat.

President Rodrigo Duterte announced Sunday night that Metro Manila and other high-risk areas would revert to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) starting Monday, August 3. As a result, DOTr again prohibited public transportation to limit the movement of people.

The decision was made after medical health workers in the front lines pleaded to the President to give them at least a two-week break to “breathe” and recover from exhaustion due to surge of COVID-19 cases.