Malacañang moves Earth Day to April 25

Following suggestions from Catholic Church officials, Malacañang on Wednesday moved this year's Earth Day to April 25 in consideration of Catholics marking Good Friday on April 22. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said President Benigno Aquino III decreed this change in Administrative Order No. 12, signed on April 19. “Yearly, our country celebrates Earth Day on April 22 by virtue of Proclamation No. 1481 issued on April 10, 2008 in solidarity with countries around the world. But there have been suggestions from different sectors to defer the Earth Day celebration for this year because April 22 is Good Friday and majority of the population will be observing Good Friday," Ochoa said, according to a Malacañang statement. Earlier, Catholic Church officials suggested that the Palace postpone this year's Earth Day as it would coincide with Good Friday. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said that as far as the Catholic Church is concerned, it will prioritize marking Christ's passion and death on April 22. “The Church is busy during Holy Week and its observance is more important," said Pabillo, who chairs the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines social action secretariat, in an article posted on the Union of Catholic Asian News website on April 13. Ochoa said Administrative Order 12 directs all activities for the annual commemoration of Earth Day on the first working day after the Holy Week, instead of Friday. Friday is also a non-working holiday by virtue of Proclamation 84, which Aquino signed in December 2010. “The President deems it best to move Earth Day celebrations to April 25 this year to allow more people to participate in the activities and make the occasion more meaningful. The government also wants to take the opportunity to draw the attention of the Filipino people to environmental issues affecting our country and the world," Ochoa said. Earth Day is envisioned to inspire awareness and appreciation, as well as encourage conservation of the environment. It likewise aims to strengthen and sustain the fight for a clean environment amid the challenges posed by climate change. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network and is celebrated in close to 200 countries every year. — BC/VS, GMA News