President Gloria Arroyo announced yesterday, February 23, 2009 as Special Holiday for all public and private schools in observance of the 23rd anniversary of Edsa people power.
Edsa 1 celebrates the peaceful and bloodless ouster of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Former President Corazon Aquino was installed into office by the popular uprising that began on Feb. 22 and ended on Feb. 25.
In 2007, President Arroyo signed into law Republic Act 9242 or an “Act Rationalizing the Celebration of National Holidays.” For movable holidays, the President shall issue a proclamation at least six months prior to the holiday concerned stating the specific date that shall be declared as a non-working day.
The school holiday was seen as a compromise in the face of criticism that this would be the first time the country would not have a non-working holiday to commemorate Edsa 1 amid the clamor of the private sector for lesser holidays that reduce productivity and increase costs.
Please click here for the listings of Special Holidays.