US Embassy closed on Oct. 31

The United States Embassy in Manila will be closed on October 31, a special non-working day declared by Malacañang. In an announcement, the embassy advised applicants for non-immigrant and immigrant visas to contact the Embassy call center to reschedule their appointments. "All nonimmigrant and immigrant visa applicants scheduled on October 31, 2011, are requested to contact the Embassy call center ... to reschedule their appointments," it said. The embassy can be reached by phone at (02) 982-5555 and (02) 902-8930 from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. It can also be accessed via its website at http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph. Malacañang earlier issued Proclamation No. 265 declaring Monday as a special non-working day throughout the country. It pointed out that Monday, October 31, falls between Sunday and Tuesday, November 1, which is also a special non-working day. Proclamation 265 aimed to give people the "full opportunity to properly observe (All Saints' Day) with all its religious fervor which invariably requires them to travel to and from different regions of the country." - GMA News