President Marcos has reminded the public to make advance preparations as he urged Filipinos to take advantage of the upcoming long weekends in 2024, the first being in March this year for the Holy Week.

In an Instagram post on Thursday, Jan. 4, the President posted the dates of holidays and long weekends that await Filipinos this year.

“Lubusin natin ang mga long weekend ngayong 2024 kasama ang ating pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay (Let’s take advantage of the long weekends this 2024 with our families and loved ones)!” he wrote.

“Paghandaan din nating mabuti ang ating mga transaksyon at bakasyon para sa isang produktibo at masaganang taon (Let us also prepare for our transactions and vacations for a productive and prosperous year),” he added.

There are at least four long weekends in 2024:

• March 28-31 (Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday)
• Aug. 24-26 (National Heroes Day weekend)
• Nov. 1-3 (Undas weekend)
• Dec. 28-31 (Rizal Day and New Year’s Eve long weekend)

Malacañang released on Oct. 13 a copy of Proclamation No. 368, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Oct. 11, declaring the holidays of 2024.

Under the Proclamation, the following have been declared as regular holidays:

• Jan. 1 (Monday) - New Year's Day
• March 28 (Thursday) - Maundy Thursday
• March 29 (Friday) - Good Friday
• April 9 (Tuesday) - Araw ng Kagitingan
• May 1 (Wednesday) - Labor Day
• June 12 (Wednesday) - Independence Day
• Aug. 26 (Monday) - National Heroes Day
• Nov. 30 (Saturday) - Bonifacio Day
• Dec. 25 (Wednesday) - Christmas Day
• Dec. 30 (Monday) - Rizal Day

The special nonworking days for 2024 are:

• Aug. 21 (Wednesday) - Ninoy Aquino Day
• Nov. 1 (Friday) - All Saints' Day
• Dec. 8 (Sunday) - Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
• Dec. 31 (Tuesday) - Last Day of the Year

The Palace also identified additional special nonworking days:

• Feb. 10 (Saturday) - Chinese New Year
• Mar. 30 (Saturday) - Black Saturday
• Nov. 2 (Saturday) - All Souls' Day
• Dec. 24 (Tuesday) - Christmas Eve

However, the 38th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution on Feb 25, 2024, which falls on a Sunday, was not listed. While a law does not dictate the anniversary to be declared a holiday, previous proclamations declared it as such.

Last year, President Marcos declared Feb. 24, 2023, a special nonworking holiday commemorating the revolution.

Meanwhile, Malacañang noted that the proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha would be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays were determined following the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient.