Single employees of a local government unit in Quezon Province are in for a Valentine’s treat as their mayor allowed them to take a paid leave for the upcoming day of hearts.
General Luna Mayor Matt Erwin Florido on Thursday announced that he is allowing his non-committed employees to take a leave of absence on February 11 to find their “forever.”
“PARA SA MGA LGU EMPLOYEES NA SINGLE: Pinapayagan ko kayo mag LEAVE sa February 12. Ilaan niyo ang buong araw sa paghahanap ng inyong forever upang makaabot kayo sa February 14,” he wrote on his Facebook.
“With pay ang leave niyo, kasi naka support ako sa pinagdadaanan niyo. Ok? Lab u!” Florido added with a series of heart and smiling face emojis.
He continued in a post-script that they can file for a leave on February 11 since the next day is Chinese New Year, which is declared as a special non-working holiday by Malacañang.
“Mahaba-haba ang oras niyo para maghanap,” Florido continued with another series of heart emojis.
Florido’s post has garnered 1,200 likes and reactions, as well as more than 100 comments and shares on the social networking platform so far.
This was welcomed by Filipinos, even non-employees of the General Luna LGU, who hoped that the initiative would also be implemented in their own localities or workplaces.
“Mapapa-sana all ka na lang talaga,” a Twitter user said with a laughing-with-tears emoji.
“Sana dito din. Matutulog lang ako hahaha,” another online user said in respone to the report.
“SANAOL, BAKA PWEDE DIN SA ANTIPOLO HAHAHAHAHAHA,” a different Filipino exclaimed.
“Sana sa Zamboanga din,” another Twitter user quipped.
“Sanaol (sana all) hahahahaha saya sana nun ohh, super long weekend,” shared a different online user.
This year’s Valentine’s Day is celebrated on Sunday, the last day before a new working week starts.
Florido has allowed for his employees to file a leave on February 11, which would give them four days to supposedly look for someone to go on a date with.
In an interview with GMA News, Florido said he initiated the Single’s leave to make sure that everyone will be happy during the celebration of the day of hearts especially amid the prevailing coronavirus pandemic.
The report said that the paid leave is also part of the reward of the LGU employees for their diligence in performing their duties.
Valentine’s Day is not an official public holiday in the country but it is nevertheless celebrated in different ways. Establishments provide promos or set up gimmicks to treat lovers and even those who are single.
Others go on mass weddings officiated by mayors such as what happened in Pasig, Manila and Mandaluyong last year.
Valentine’s Day was believed to originate as a pagan holiday called Lupercalia centuries ago. It celebrated fertility where men would strip naked and sacrifice a goat and a dog.
When Christianity came in, the Catholic Church declared February 14 to be a day of feasts in order to celebrate the martyred Saint Valentine persecuted at a time when Christianity was still not widely accepted.
