FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
, 
S. No. 210 
iO 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines has indeed a very rich culture. Its rich cultural heritage, however, varies 
from place to place. Furthermore, due to the number of the local historical events and 
heroes worth commemorating, not all of them are given tribute by the national 
government. Hence, a legislation which purpose is to authorize local sanggunians to 
declare special holidays in their localities in order to commemorate significant historic 
events and honor local heroes is substantially needed. 
This bill aims to provide the local government units power to ensure and support the 
preservation and enrichment of their local culture and history. The proposed measure is 
also intended to unclog the legisla#ve mill of bills where the subject matter can be 
appropriately delegated to the local sanggunian to legislate. Given this, the Congress 
would be given ample time to tackle more urgent legislative proposals. 
In view offoregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
~~\_ 
I 
ANTdNIO "SONNY" F. TRILLANES IV 
Senator 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 210 
iO 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
AUTHORIZING THE LOCAL SANGGUNIANS TO DECLARE SPECIAL 
HOLIDAYS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE LOCALITIES TO COMMEMORATE 
SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC EVENTS AND, TO HONOR LOCAL HEROES, 
PROVIDING GUIDELINES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House oj Representatives ojthe Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Local Holidays Act 
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oj201O." 
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SEC. 2. Declaration oj Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the state that 
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the territorial and political subdivisions shall enjoy genuine, true and meaningful 
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autonomy to enable them to attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities 
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and as effective partners in the attainment of national goals. Towards this end, the local 
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government units herein provided shall exercise the power, to ensure and support the 
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preservation and enrichment of their local culture and history. Thus, the local 
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sanggunians is hereby authorized, to declare special holidays in their localities to 
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commemorate significant historic events and honor local heroes. 
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SEC. 3. Authority to Declare Special Local Holidays. - The sanggumang 
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panlalawigan, sangguniang panlungsod or sangguniang bayan, is hereby authorized to 
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declare, by ordinance, working or non-working special holidays to commemorate 
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significant historic events in their respective locality, subject to the guidelines provided 
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under this Act and upon prior consultation with the National Historical Institute (NHI) 
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and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The sangguniang barangay is 
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hereby authorized to declare, by ordinance, working special holidays in their respective 
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localities. 
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SEC. 4. Guidelines for the Declaration of Local Special Holiday. - The 
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sanggunian shall observe the following guidelines when declaring special holidays within 
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their respective locality: 
lOa) There must be prior certification by the NHI as to the historical significance of 
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the occasion; 
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b) There must be prior information from the DOLE as to the number of workers 
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and establishments to be affected by the declaration of local holiday, including 
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the effect in terms of possible loss in wages of daily wage earners; 
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c) The sangguniang panlalawigan, by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of all its 
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members, shall have the authority to declare special holidays covering the 
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entire province or in more than one of its component cities or municipalities. 
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In no case shall the sangguniang panlalawigan declare more than one 
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nonworking holiday in the province or in any of its component cities or 
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municipalities; 
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d) The sangguniang panlungsod or sanggunIang bayan in the city or 
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municipality, as the case may be, by a vote of three-fourths (3/4) of all its 
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members shall have the authority to declare special holidays in the city or 
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municipality concerned or in more than one of its component barangays. In no 
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case shall the sangguniang panlungsod or sangguniang bayan declare more 
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.than one non-working holiday in any city or municipality, as the case maybe, 
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or in any of its component barangays; 
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e) local non-working holidays declared prior to the effectivity of this Act shall 
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continue to be observed until otherwise changed, discontinued or reduced by 
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the local sanggunian concerned; Provided, That no local holiday can be 
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changed oftener than once every ten (10) years and by three-fourths vote of all 
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members of the sanggunian concerned; 
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1) Local sanggunians in provinces, cities and municipalities with at least one 
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special non-working holiday already shall no longer have the authority to 
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declare an additional special non-working day, except to exercise the 
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prerogative specified in paragraph e) hereof; 
109) The local sanggunian, including the sangguniang barangay may declare as 
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many local special working holidays as they deem appropriate, following the 
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guidelines prescribed in this section. 
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SEC.5. Authority of the President to declare special local holidays. - Nothing 
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herein shall be constmed to limit the power of the President to declare special days, 
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pursuant to Section 28, Chapter 7, of Executive Order 292 otherwise known as the 
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Administrative Code of 1987. 
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SEC 6. Master List of National and Local Special Days. - Within ninety (90) 
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days from the effectivity of this Act, the leagues of provinces, cities, municipalities shall 
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each submit to the NHI a master list of existing special local holidays in their respective 
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member-local government units, stating, among others the nature, legal basis and date of 
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declaration of such holidays. 
Thereupon, the NHI shall immediately furnish the 
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Congress of the Philippines, the Office of the President, the Department of the Interior 
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and Local 
Government (DILG) and DOLE a complete list of regular and special 
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national and local holidays throughout the country. No valid local special holiday should 
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be declared in any locality after the NHI shall have issued a certification that it had 
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already submitted the master list to the Congress of the Philippines and the office of the 
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President. 
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SEC. 7. Implementillg Rules alld Regulatiolls. - The Secretary of the DILG, in 
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consultation with the respective heads of the NHI, DOLE and the leagues of provinces, 
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cities, municipalities and barangays, shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the 
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effective implementation ofthis Act. 
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SEC. 8. Holiday Ecollomics. - As much as possible, the local nonworking 
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holiday shall be declared on a Monday. If a local nonworking holiday falls on a day other 
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than Monday, the local sanggunian concerned shall have authority to declare its 
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observance on the nearest Monday; Provided, That the local sanggunian concerned shall 
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declare such change not later than six (6) months prior to its observance. 
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SEC. 9. Reductioll ill School Days or Hours. - Nothing herein shall be construed 
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to reduce the number of school days below the minimum allowed by the Department of 
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Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Additional class 
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days or hours may be scheduled to cover the lost class day or hours due to the celebration 
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of local nonworking holiday, as may be determined by the local division of the DepEd or 
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the CHED, as the case may be. 
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SEC. 10. Applicability of the Labor Code. - As used in this Act, "special local 
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nonworking holiday" shall mean "special nonworking day" as defined in the pertinent 
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provisions of the Labor Code and its implementing rules and regulations. 
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SEC.H. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
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unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof which are not affected 
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thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or 
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portions thereof, inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
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following its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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