WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 9492 (s. 2007) amended Section 26, Chapter 7, Book 1 of Executive Order (EO) No. 292, also known as the Administrative Code of 1987, by declaring certain days (specific or movable) as special or regular holidays;

WHEREAS, RA No. 9492 provides that holidays, except those which are religious in nature, are moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order or proclamation;

WHEREAS, RA No. 9849 provides that the Eidul Adha shall be celebrated as a national holiday;

WHEREAS, on 8 February 2016, Chinese nationals all over the world will celebrate their Spring Festival, popularly known as the Chinese New Year, which is one of the most revered and festive events celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines, and such date may be declared as a special (non-working) day without detriment to public interest;

WHEREAS, on 25 February 2016, the country will commemorate the 30 th Anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, which restored and ushered political, social and economic reforms in our country;

WHEREAS, Black Saturday, which falls on 26 March 2016, has been traditionally declared as a special (non-working) day throughout the country, the observance of the Holy Week being one of the most cherished traditions of our predominantly Catholic people;

WHEREAS, declaring 2 January 2016 (Saturday), 31 October 2016 (Monday), 24 December 2016 (Saturday), and 31 December 2016 (Saturday, last day of the year) as additional special (non-working) days throughout the country will strengthen family ties by providing longer New Year, All Saints ™ Day, and Christmas weekends and will promote domestic tourism as well;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution as President of the Philippines, do hereby declare:

SECTION 1. The following regular holidays and special holidays for the year 2016 shall be observed in the country:

A. Regular Holidays

New Year ™s Day	1	January (Friday)
Maundy Thursday	24	March
Good Friday	25	March
Araw ng Kagitingan	9	April (Saturday)
Labor Day	1	May (Sunday)
Independence Day	12	June (Sunday)
National Heroes Day	29	August (Last Monday of August)
Bonifacio Day	30	November (Wednesday)
Christmas Day	25	December (Sunday)
Rizal Day	30	December (Friday)

B. Special (Non-Working) Days

Chinese New Year	8	February (Monday)
EDSA People Power Revolution	25	February
Black Saturday	26	March
Ninoy Aquino Day	21	August (Sunday)
All Saints Day	1	November (Tuesday)
Additional special (non-working) days	2	January (Saturday)
-	31	October (Monday)
-	24	December (Saturday)
-	31	December (Saturday)

SECTION 2. The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid ™l Fitr and Eidul Adha shall hereafter be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient. To this end, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) shall inform the Office of the President of the actual dates on which these holidays shall respectively fall.

SECTION 3. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall promulgate the implementing guidelines for this Proclamation.

SECTION 4. This Proclamation shall take effect immediately.

SECTION 5. This Proclamation shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation.

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 20th day of August in the Year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Fifteen.

(SGD.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

By the President:

(SGD.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary