Holiday crazy? 13th RP Congress filed 112 bills to set, reset holidays

By AGATHA GUIDABEN, GMA News Research

Published July 30, 2007 5:54pm

Hate Mondays? Republic Act 9492 ought to change some people's perceptions about the day that starts the school/work week. The law that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed last week allows Filipinos a longer weekend break by moving most regular holidays to the nearest Monday. The law rationalizing holiday celebrations comes as no surprise to a country that has at least half a month's worth of holidays every year. Aside from the usual Lenten and Christmas vacations, we also get a few days off to commemorate heroes and departed loved ones. There are various local fiestas celebrating founding anniversaries of towns, municipalities and so forth. But it seems we still can't get enough of these holidays. During the recently concluded 13th Congress, lawmakers filed a total of 112 holiday-related bills.

Holiday-related bills filed during the 13th Congress
House of Representatives	95
Senate	17
Total	112

Holiday-related House bills Most of the House bills proposed to declare non-working holidays to celebratefounding anniversaries of towns or cities. Most of these bills also prospered beyond the committee level, with 12 actually becoming law. If the House bills proposing new holidays were enacted into law, there would be one holiday somewhere in the Philippines every four days. A) by type of holiday proposed

82 proposed to declare non-working holidays
6 proposed to declare working holidays
7 others

B) by reason for holding a holiday

65 wanted to celebrate founding anniversaries of towns or cities
12 proposed holidays that would be in effect throughout the country
13 were in honor of local heroes or former officials
2 wanted to promote tourism

C) by bill status

12 holiday bills actually became law
29 were approved by the House and transmitted to the Senate
36 were substituted by other bills
3 passed by the Senate with amendments
15 others

D) interesting notes Rep. Victoria Reyes (Batangas, Third District) filed the most number of holiday bills, twice lodging legislation that would set a "Gen. Miguel Malvar Day", a "National Family Day" and an "Apolinario Mabini Day". Another proposal sought to commemorate the birth of the late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, in Ilocos Norte and Laoag City. The bill filed by Rep. Roque Ablan Jr. (Ilocos Norte, First District) was approved by the House and transmitted to the Senate. A few other bills sought to set aside a day for certain sectors of society -- children, indigenous people, farmers and even the religious group Iglesia ni Cristo.

House Bills which became Law (13th Congress)
HB	TITLE	REPUBLIC ACT
HB 0213	AN ACT DECLARING THE FOURTH DAY OF FEBRUARY OF EVERY YEAR AS A SPECIAL WORKING HOLIDAY IN THE CITY OF MUNTINLUPA TO BE KNOWN AS ARAW NG KALAYAAN NG MUNTINLUPA	RA 9378
HB 4561	AN ACT DECLARING MAY 6 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL WORKING HOLIDAY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF PILAR, PROVINCE OF SORSOGON, TO COMMEMORATE THE DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF MAYOR MANUEL T. SIA	RA 9380
HB 3362	AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9031 DECLARING MAY 27 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NONWORKING PUBLIC HOLIDAY IN THE PROVINCE OF CAMARINES SUR AND IN THE CITIES OF NAGA AND IRIGA IN COMMEMORATION OF ITS ANNUAL FOUNDATION ANNIVERSARY	RA 9410
HB 4565	AN ACT DECLARING AUGUST 20 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NONWORKING HOLIDAY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF DULAG, PROVINCE OF LEYTE, TO BE KNOWN AS 'MUNICIPAL FOUNDATION DAY'	RA 9412
HB 4571	AN ACT DECLARING APRIL 3 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NONWORKING HOLIDAY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF LUISIANA, PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, TO CELEBRATE THE 'ARAW NG LUBUSANG KALAYAAN BILANG BAYAN NG LUISIANA, LAGUNA' AND THE 'PANDANAN FESTIVAL'	RA 9413
HB 4573	AN ACT DECLARING JUNE 19 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NONWORKING HOLIDAY IN THE PROVINCE OF NORTHERN SAMAR TO COMMEMORATE ITS FOUNDATION DAY	RA 9414
HB 0188	AN ACT DECLARING DECEMBER 13 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NON-WORKING HOLIDAY IN GENERAL TRIAS IN THE PROVINCE OF CAVITE	RA 9425
HB 4564	AN ACT DECLARING MARCH 8 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NONWORKING HOLIDAY IN THE ENTIRE PROVINCE OF COMPOSTELA VALLEY TO COMMEMORATE ITS FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY	RA 9426
HB 4569	AN ACT DECLARING FEBRUARY 5 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NONWORKING HOLIDAY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BINAN, PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, TO BE KNOWN AS 'BINAN LIBERATION DAY'	RA 9427
HB 4574	AN ACT DECLARING FEBRUARY 14 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NONWORKING HOLIDAY IN THE CITY OF VALENZUELA TO BE KNOWN AS 'ARAW NG LUNGSOD NG VALENZUELA	RA 9428
HB 4572	AN ACT DECLARING SEPTEMBER 18 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NONWORKING HOLIDAY IN THE CITY OF TACURONG, PROVINCE OF SULTAN KUDARAT, TO COMMEMORATE ITS CHARTER DAY ANNIVERSARY	RA 9429
HB 4575	AN ACT DECLARING JULY 23 OF EACH YEAR A SPECIAL NONWORKING HOLIDAY IN THE CITY OF TANAUAN, PROVINCE OF BATANGAS, TO BE KNOWN AS 'APOLINARIO MABINI DAY'	RA 9430

Tags: holidayscongressbills, 13thcongress, sona2007, 14thcongress