FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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First Regular Session 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
S E N A T E  
S. No 
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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. And due to the number of the local historical events and heroes 
worth commemorating, not all of them are ‘&hen tribute by the national government. 
Hence, this bill’s purpose is to authorize them to declare special holidays in their 
localities in order to commemorate significant historic events and honor local heroes: It 
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 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 foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
ANTONIO “SONNY” F. TRILLANES IV 
Senator 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF TEE 
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First Regular Session 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
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 the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “Local Holidays Act of 2008”. 
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 local 
sanggunians is hereby authorized to declare special holidays in their localities to 
commemorate significant historic events and honor local heroes. 
SEC. 3. Authority to declare special local holidays. - The sangguniang 
pmlalawigan, sangguniang panlungsod or sangguniang bayan, is hereby authorized to 
declare, by ordinance, working or non-working special holidays to commemorate 
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localities. 
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their respective locality: 
significant historic events in their respective locality, subject to the guidelines provided 
under this Act and upon prior consultation with the National Historical Institute ("I) 
and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The sangguniang barangay is 
hereby authorized to declare, by ordinance, working special holidays in their respective 
SEC. 4. Guidelines for the declaration of local special holiday. - The 
sanggunian shall observe the following guidelines when declaring special holidays within 
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a) There must be prior certification by the "I 
as to the historical significance of 
b) There must be prior information from the DOLE as to the number of workers 
and establishments to be affected by the declaration of local holiday, including the 
effect in terms of possible loss in wages of daily wage earners; 
c) The sangguniang panlalawigan, by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of all its members, 
shall have the authority to declare special holidays 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 nonworking holiday in the 
province or in any of its component cities or municipalities; 
d) The sangguniang panlungsod or sangguniang bayan in the city or municipality, 
as the case may be, by a vote of three-fourths (3/4) of all its members shall have 
the authority to declare special holidays in the city or municipality concerned or 
in more than one of its component barangays. In no case shall the sangguniang 
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panlungsod or sangguniang bayan declare more .than one non-working holiday in 
any city or municipality, as the case maybe, or in any of its component barangays; 
e) local non-working holidays declared prior to the effectivity of this Act shall 
continue to be observed until otherwise changed, discontinued or reduced by the 
local sanggunian concerned; Provided, That no local holiday can be changed 
oftener than once every ten (10) years and by three-fourths vote of all members of 
the sanggunian concerned; 
f )  Local sanggunians 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; 
g) The local sanggunian, including the sangguniang barangay may declare as 
many local special working holidays as they deem appropriate, following the 
guidelines prescribed in this section. 
SEC.5. Authority of the President to declare special local holidays, - Nothing 
herein shall be construed to limit the power of the President to declare special days, 
pursuant to Section 28, Chapter 7, of Executive Order 292 otherwise known as the 
Administrative Code of 1987. 
SEC 6. Masterlist of National and Local Special Days. - Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the leagues of provinces, cities, municipalities shall each 
submit to the NHI a master list of existing special local holidays in their respective 
member-local government units, stating, among others the nature, legal basis and date of 
declaration of such holidays. 
Thereupon, the "I shall immediately furnish the 
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Congress of the Philippines, the Office of the President, the Department of the Interior 
and Local Government (DILG) and DOLE a complete list of regular and special national 
and local holidays throughout the country. No valid local special holiday should be 
declared in any locality after the NHI shall have issued a certification that it had already 
submitted the master list to the Congress of the Philippines and the office of the 
President. 
SEC. I. Iqlementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of the DILG, in 
consultation with the respective heads of the "I, 
DOLE and the leagues of provinces, 
cities, municipalities and barangays, shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the 
effective implementation of this Act. 
SEC. 8. Holiday Economics. - As much as possible, the local nonworking 
holiday shall be declared on a Monday. If a local nonworking holiday falls on a day other 
than Monday, the local sanggunian concerned shall have authority to declare its 
observance on the nearest Monday; Provided, That the local sanggunian concerned shall 
declare such change not later than six (6) months prior to its observance. 
SEC. 9. No Reduction in School Days or Hours. - Nothing herein shall be 
construed to reduce the number of school days below the minimum allowed by the 
Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). 
Additional class days or hours may be scheduled to cover the lost class day or hours due 
to the celebration of local nonworking holiday, as may be determined by the local 
division of the DepEd or 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 
nonworking holiday” shall mean “special nonworking day“ as defined in the pertinent 
provisions of the Labor Code and its implementing rules and regulations. 
SEC.ll, Separability Clause. - If 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. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or 
portions thereof, inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 13. Eflectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
following its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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