MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
[ Proclamation No. 129, December 5, 2001 ]
DECLARING DECEMBER 24, 2001 AS A SPECIAL (NON-WORKING) DAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State to encourage and promote domestic tourism;
WHEREAS, tourism has been identified as one of the largest contributors to the countrys gross domestic product and a major contributor to the growth and development of the national economy;
WHEREAS, the high turnout in domestic tourism receipts from October 31 to November 4, 2001 demonstrates the enormous potential of tourism in sustaining livelihood opportunities in the countryside;
WHEREAS, December 24, 2001 falls on a Monday and Christmas Day, December 25, 2001, falls on a Tuesday;
WHEREAS, December 24 has been declared a special public holiday in the past;
WHEREAS, by tradition, the Filipinos celebrate the Christmas holidays by visiting their families, relatives and friends;
WHEREAS, to give the Filipino people full opportunity to observe the Christmas holidays and to encourage them to travel to the different regions of the country to join their families, relatives and friends, it is necessary to declare December 24, 2001 as a special (non-working) day throughout the country without prejudice to the public interest;
WHEREAS, the Secretary of the Department of Tourism recommends the issuance of this Proclamation;
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 declare:
Section 1. December 24, 2001 shall be a special (non-working) day throughout the country.1aшphi1
Section 2. All employees of government departments, offices, agencies or instrumentalities shall not be required to report for work on December 26, 27 and 28, 2001, except that:
a. The head of a department, office, agency or instrumentality may, if required by the exigencies of public service, require the employees of said department, office, agency or instrumentality to observe regular working hours and provide regular services to the public on the said dates;
b. Employees of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs and other government departments, offices, agencies or instrumentalities that impose deadlines on the transacting public for payment of taxes, fees or fines and for compliance with reportorial and other requirements, shall be required by the head of the department, office, agency or instrumentality to observe regular working hours and provide regular services to the public on the said dates; and
c. Employees of government departments, offices, agencies or instrumentalities providing police, security, fire protection, custodial, rescue, emergency, medical and other similar services shall be required by the head of the department, office, agency or instrumentality to observe regular working hours and provide regular services to the public on the said dates.
Section 3. Heads of government departments, offices, agencies and instrumentalities are hereby directed to issue the appropriate circulars to implement this Proclamation.
Section 4. Employers in the private sector, except those providing banking, financial, health, security and other vital services to the public, have the option of not requiring their employees to report for work on December 26, 27 and 28, 2001: Provided, That such employers who opt not to require their employees to report for work are urged to make the necessary arrangements, which may include increasing work hours or allowing work on other days before and/or after the Christmas holidays, to ensure that daily paid workers are paid the equivalent of the wages or compensation that they would have earned on the said dates and that production schedules are met to maintain a continuous supply of goods and services. All existing labor laws shall be observed.
City of Manila, December 5, 2001.
(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
By the President:
(Sgd.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO
Executive Secretary
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