President Rodrigo Duterte has declared August 12th 2019 as a regular holiday in observance of Eid’l Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, throughout the Philippines.
The chief executive made the declaration through Proclamation No. 789, upon the recommendation of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) to set the date as a national holiday.
“The Office of the President hopes that with such declaration, our Muslim brothers and sisters can properly observe and enjoy the Feast of Sacrifice with their loved ones,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
Eid’l Adha or the Feast of Holy Sacrifice is one the most important events celebrated in the Islamic religion. It commemorates the sacrifice of Abraham, and follows the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca.
It is celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the lunar year in the Islamic calendar.
The proclamation declaring the particular day a regular holiday was issued after the feast’s date has been determined, in accordance with the Hijra or the Islamic calendar. The NCMF said the Eid’l Adha will actually begin on August 11th but Republic Act 9849 allows the following Monday to be declared a holiday should Eid’l Adha fall on a Sunday.
Source: Philippine News Agency
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