Malacañang is sorry that the public was initially made to believe November 27 and 28 would be national holidays in observance of the Eid’l Adha.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said President Arroyo revised an earlier proclamation to limit the two-day holiday to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) following an appeal from the business community.

Remonde said Trade Secretary Peter Favila, in behalf of the business groups, claimed that there were already too many holidays in November which could adversely impact productivity and slow down growth.

"We apologize for those who have been inconvenienced by the change,” Remonde said in a radio interview.

Apart from the many holidays, the wrath of the recent killer typhoons also weighed on business activities in the past two months, according to Remonde.

President Arroyo originally declared November 27 and 28 as national holidays in celebration of Eid’l Adha under Proclamation No. 1808. The order was signed last April 2009 but was released only recently by the Palace, prompting many Filipinos to prepare for the long holiday weekend by the end of the month.

But last October 26, the President issued Proclamation No. 1808-A declaring the two days as holidays only in ARMM and not in the entire country.

Malacañang however released the amended proclamation only last Saturday which caught the public by surprise.