Aug. 23 declared regular working day

August 23, a Monday, will be a regular working day, while the death anniversary of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. on August 21, a Saturday, will be a non-working holiday.

This was the final decision of President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Wednesday night in a still-unnumbered proclamation.

“The purpose for observing Ninoy Aquino Day on Aug. 21 instead of Aug. 23 is to avoid the imposition of unnecessary financial burden upon the employers, and ensure the continuity of government, business, and commercial transactions, promote productivity while at the same time preserve the solemnity of the observance (of the holiday)," said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda in a statement.

Aquino’s proclamation in effect junked the “holiday economics" policy of his predecessor while upholding the public observance of his father’s death anniversary on its actual date of occurrence.

The death anniversary of Ninoy, who was gunned down on Aug. 21, 1983 at the then Manila International Airport upon his return from exile, has long been considered a holiday.

"The president is empowered under RA No. 9492 to modify holidays by law, order or proclamation," Lacierda said.

Malacañang however explained that the President took time to reach a final decision because he wanted to avoid undue emphasis on his father, amid public expectation for him to make an early announcement so that workers and students could plan for a possible long weekend.

Under her administration, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo advocated “holiday economics," which meant that if a non-working holiday fell on or near a weekend, the non-work aspect was moved to the nearest Monday, resulting in longer weekends.—

Jam Sisante/JV, GMANews.TV