WHEREAS, Commission on Elections will conduct the plebiscite on Thursday, December 18, 2008, to ratify the conversion of Tacloban City from a component city into a highly urbanized city;

WHEREAS, in order to give the people of the City of Tacloban ample time to exercise their right to vote, there is a need to declare Thursday, December 18, 2008 as special (non-working) day.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDUARDO R. ERMITA, Executive Secretary, by authority of Her Excellency, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, do hereby declare Thursday, December 18, 2008, as special (non-working) day in the City of Tacloban.

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 12th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eight.


By the Executive Secretary:

(Sgd.) JOAQUIN C. LAGONERA
Senior Deputy Executive Secretary