Is Jan. 2, 2024 a non-working holiday? Pinoys hopeful ahead of long weekend

December 29, 2023 - 1:32 PM
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Fireworks in Quezon City
The fireworks display at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City lights up the night sky during the New Year revelry on Jan. 1, 2022. (The STAR/Miguel De Guzman)

Will the second day of the new year be a non-working day?

This was what some Filipinos asked after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared December 26, the day after Christmas, a special non-working day last December 12.

December 25, which falls on a Monday, was observed as a regular holiday this week.

Jan. 2, 2024, a Tuesday, is not part of the 2024 holiday list that Office of the President has released through Proclamation No. 368 (series of 2023).

While January 1, New Year’s Day, is declared a regular holiday, there were no announcements on January 2, which falls on a Tuesday, being declared a holiday yet.

Nevertheless, some Pinoys are hoping for the president to release a proclamation declaring January 2 a special non-working day.

“May pasok kaya sa January 2?” physician and “G Talks” host Gia Sison wondered.

“Sana wala para maka-recover ako sa holidays,” another physician commented on her post with a grinning face emoji.

“Mismo,” Sison quipped with a laughing emoji.

“Dear Mr. President, please declare Jan. 2 a holiday. You need a break, I need a break, we all need a break from our long holiday. Sige na, Bongbong,” another user on the X (formerly Twitter) platform commented.

“[Ano] na president @bongbongmarcos… parang-awa mo na, antay na antay na [kami] sa January 2 holiday declaration mo,” another Pinoy said with smiling emojis.

“Hindi ba gagawing holiday ang January 2, 2024??? ” another expecting Filipino commented with a smiling emoji.

“Hi, BBM, [kailan] niyo po i-aannounce na special holiday sa January 2, 2024? Kaya po ba today?” another Pinoy on Facebook wrote.

When Marcos declared December 26 a special non-working holiday last December 12, he said that the holiday would “give the people the full opportunity to celebrate the holiday with their families and loved ones.”

He added that a long weekend would “encourage families to get together and strengthen their relationship, leading to a better society.”

Marcos also said before that a longer weekend would “promote domestic tourism.”