RCT 11 ?7:!? 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
Third Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
S.B.NO. 2493 
Introduced by Senator Lim 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The authority to declare local holidays, whether working or non- 
working, is presently vested with the Congress of the Philippines or the 
President. Section 27, Chapter 7, Book of Executive Order No. 292, 
otherwise known as “Administrative Code of 1987” provides, “The 
President may proclaim any local special day for a particular date, group 
or place. However, the authority of the President appears to be limited. 
It lacks permanence, thus, declaration needs to be made yearly. 
In order for the Local Government Unit (LGU) concerned to 
celebrate working or non-working holidays on a regular basis, the 
declaration has to be done by Congress. However, since the proposal has 
to go through the whole legislative process, it normally takes some time 
to enact laws declaring local holidays. There are times that preparations 
had already been made to commemorate a significant event, except the 
law which declares it a public holiday in the locality concerned. 
To address the foregoing concerns, this bill seeks to empower the 
LGUs to declare holiday in their respective jurisdictions, subject to 
certain guidelines provided therein. Congress however, is not precluded 
from declaring non-working or special working days covering two or more 
provinces and those covering one or more cities or municipalities that are 
not part of just one province. 
The proposed measure is intended to unclog the legislative mill of 
bills where the subject matter can be appropriately delegated to the local 
Sanggunian to legislate. Thus, Congress would be given ample time to 
tackle more urgent legislative proposals. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
Third Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
S E N A T E  
S. B. NO. 2494, 
Introduced by Senator Lim 
AN ACT 
AUTHORIZING THE SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN, SANGGUNIANG 
PANLUNGSOD OR SANGGUNIANG BAYAN, TO DECLARE WORKING 
OR NON-WORKING SPECIAL HOLIDAYS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE 
LOCALITIES TO COMMEMORATE SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC EVENTS 
PROVIDING GUIDELINES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 
1. 
Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Local 
Holidays Act of 2006”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy 
of the state that the territorial and political subdivisions shall enjoy 
genuine, true and meaningful autonomy to enable them to attain their 
fullest development as self-reliant communities and as effective partners 
in the attainment of national goals. 
Towards this end, the local 
government units herein provided shall exercise the power, to ensure and 
support the preservation and enrichment of their local culture and 
history. Thus, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang Panlungsod 
or Sangguniang Bayan shall be authorized to declare working or non- 
working special holidays to commemorate local historical events and 
memorable dates in the creation and existence of their localities. 


SEC. 3. Authority to declare working and non-working 
holidays. - The Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang Panlungsod or 
Sangguniang Bayan, is hereby authorized to declare, by ordinance, 
working or non-working special holidays to commemorate significant 
historic events in their respective locality, subject to the guidelines 
provided under this Act and upon prior consultation with the National 
Historical Institute ("1) 
and the Department of Labor and Employment 
(DOLE). 
SEC. 4. Guidelines for the declaration of non-working public 
holiday. - The Sanggunian shall observe the following guidelines when 
declaring holidays within their respective locality: 
a) 
there must be prior certification by the NHI as to the 
historical significance of the occasion; 
b) 
there must be prior consultation with the DOLE as to the 
economic viability of the holiday; 
the Sangguniang Panlalawigan shall have the authority to 
declare one non-working holiday covering the entire province 
or in more than one of its component cities or municipalities. 
In no case shall the Sangguniang Panlalawigan declare more 
than one non-working holiday in any of its component cities 
or municipalities. 
the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan in the 
city or municipality, as the case may be, shall have the 
authority to declare one non-working holiday in the city or 
c) 
d) 
municipality concerned or in more than one of its component 
barangays. In no case shall the Sangguniang Panlungsod or 
Sangguniang Bayan declare more than one non-working 
holiday in any of its component barangays. 


e) 
existing local non-working holidays will continue to be 
observed until otheryise changed, discontinued or reduced 
by the local Sanggunian concerned, provided that no change 
shall be effected within ten (10 years and by 
vote of the 
members of the Sanggunian concerned; 
local Sanggunian in provinces, cities and municipalities with 
at least one special non-working holiday already shall no 
longer have the authority to declare an additional special 
non-working day, except to exercise the prerogative specified 
in paragraph e) hereof; 
9 
SEC. 5. Authority to declare special working holidays. - The 
local Sanggunian including the Sangguniang Barangay may declare as 
many special working holidays as they deem appropriate. 
SEC. 6. Authority of Congress to declare working and non- 
working holiday. - Congress shall continue to declare working and non- 
working special holidays covering two or more provinces and one or more 
cities or municipalities that are not part of such provinces. 
SEC. 7. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any provision 
of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or 
provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in 
full force and effect. 
SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and 
regulations, or portions thereof, inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen 
(15) days following its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers 
of general circulation. 
Approved,