THE Senate approved on third and final reading five bills seeking to declare special non-working and special working holidays in several provinces to commemorate local significant events.
Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government and sponsor of the proposed measures, said on Monday that declaring local holidays in these provinces is giving “equal recognition from all Filipinos because each commemoration completes the nation’s memoir.”
House Bill No. 5688, which proposes to declare September 21 a special working holiday in Cebu in celebration of the ‘Cebu Press Freedom Day’ was already approved.
Cebu City north district Rep. Raul del Mar authored the bill in the lower house.
“The annual commemoration held in the (third) week of September that includes September 21, the anniversary of the date of the Martial Law (declaration) in the Philippines, recognizes the significant role of community media as a watchdog of government and catalyst for social change,” read del Mar’s bill.
Senate also approved House Bill Nos. 5262, 5259, 5691, and 6780 which propose a special non-working holiday on May 15 in Surigao del Norte, May 22 in Guimaras, June 18 in Ifugao, November 15 in Occidental Mindoro, and November 22 in Sultan Kudarat, respectively, in commemoration of its founding anniversary.
House Bill No. 5202, a bill proposing to declare November 22 a special non-working holiday in Surigao del Norte, which will be known as “Adlaw Nan Surigao del Norte” was likewise approved.
“These dates remind local residents how the cradle of their community was formed. This is also an occasion for them to celebrate the period when they united as one province,” Angara said in a statement.
The House Bill No. 5554, which proposes to declare December 9 as a special working holiday in Dinagat Islands, Leyte in commemoration of the birth anniversary of Ruben Edera Ecleo Sr., founder of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association Inc. (PBMA), was also approved.