Marcos to ‘study’ proposal to make Feb. 25 a holiday
President Marcos is open to proposals to declare Feb. 25 of every year a national holiday, to give Filipinos time to commemorate the Edsa People Power Revolution.
Palace press officer Claire Castro said on Tuesday the President was “ready to study” the proposed legislation to declare Feb. 25 a regular national holiday, to honor the 1986 bloodless uprising that toppled the dictatorship of his father and namesake.
“He will study the suggestions regarding this matter,” Castro noted, but there was no commitment to support it unless the bill goes on his table.
“Proponents just need to submit their respective versions to the President for review. Once these are submitted, the President will take action on them,” she said.
‘Special working day’
With the removal of Edsa Revolution anniversary on the list of annual holidays, Akbayan party list lawmakers Chel Diokno, Percival Cendaña, and Dadah Ismulah, and Dinagat Islands Rep. Arlene Bag-ao have filed House Bill No. 7911 seeking to declare Feb. 25 as a regular holiday.
Since 2023, Mr. Marcos has not followed the tradition of declaring any of the days from Feb. 22 to Feb. 25 a national holiday.
For this year, he declared Feb. 25 a “special working day,” with classes and work continuing as usual.
“While it is a special working holiday this year, people who wish to celebrate and commemorate the Edsa People Power anniversary are still free to do so,” Castro said.
“However, there are times when not everything needs to be declared a holiday, because some sectors, especially those in the business community were already feeling the strain. When holidays become too frequent, they are negatively affected,” she said.
Employers are mandated to provide premium pay for regular and special holidays.
The Department of Labor and Employment on Tuesday reminded employees that the “no work, no pay” principle will be implemented on this day.
Unity statement
With Feb. 25 declared a “special working day,” “it shall be considered as an ordinary working day for the purpose of payment of wages and wage-related benefits,” the department said.
Civil society groups, among them the Kilusang Bayan Kontra Kurakot, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, and Trillion Peso March Movement, will hold separate anticorruption protests in line with the 40th anniversary of the Edsa revolt.
Member schools of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) are joining the commemoration activities, with student leaders of Adamson University, De La Salle University (DLSU), University of the East-Caloocan, University of the East-Manila, Ateneo de Manila, University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman, Far Eastern University, and National University signing a unity statement, published Monday, that called on the public to reignite People Power and protest against corruption and political dynasties.
The student leaders also said they reject “any attempt to reduce Edsa into a ceremony without substance, ” adding that “when the youth rise with purpose, their collective strength can dismantle tyranny and reshape the nation’s future.”
“As UAAP schools, we set aside our rivalries to reclaim our role as the front lines of change,” they said. “Therefore, we will join the Edsa People Power Revolution on Feb. 25 and we will not stop until the very systems that shield political dynasty and corruption are dismantled.”
Red alert
Meanwhile, Metro Manila continues to be on red alert ahead of assemblies marking the Edsa anniversary.
Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla on Tuesday said the alert, in effect since Feb. 21, is an internal readiness measure to ensure personnel and equipment are accounted for and ready for deployment.
“The Philippine National Police remains the lead agency for maintaining peace and order,” Padilla said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo. “The AFP is in an augmenting role and will deploy only when requested and as directed by proper authority.”
Police earlier said more than 13,000 personnel would be deployed for anniversary activities across Metro Manila.
Padilla said there was no monitored “significant threat” to the commemorations so far, but intelligence units were coordinating with other agencies and would act on any information with national security implications.
While the red alert currently covers Metro Manila, field commanders may raise their own alert levels in their areas if necessary.
“The whole AFP is on standby. Deployment will be based on the need on the ground,” said Padilla.
The military reiterated it would remain “strictly nonpartisan” during the commemorations and would respect the public’s right to peaceful assembly.
“We are loyal to the Constitution. We are not referees of politics,” Padilla said. “Our mandate is security while respecting democratic processes.” —WITH REPORTS FROM GABRYELLE DUMALAG AND ISABELLE PECHAY
