Filipinos are up for a four-day long weekend after President Marcos moved the celebration of Ninoy Aquino Day from Aug. 21, Wednesday, to Aug. 23, Friday.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin signed Proclamation No. 665 on Aug. 15. This made the last weekend of August a four-day weekend with the celebration of the National Heroes Day on Aug. 26, Monday.

While the move aims to promote domestic tourism, Marcos said in his Proclamation that the historical significance of Ninoy Aquino Day should be maintained.

He tasked the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to issue the appropriate circular to implement Proclamation No. 665 for the private sector.

Early this year, President Marcos reminded the public to make advance preparations and take advantage of the long weekends in 2024.

“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 said.

“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.

Ninoy Aquino Day, which falls on a Wednesday this year, is a special nonworking day under Republic Act (RA) No. 9256. It commemorates the assassination of former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. in 1983.

Meanwhile, National Heroes Day, one of the country's oldest public holidays, is celebrated every last Monday of August, making it a long weekend. The celebration started during the American Colonial Period and became a holiday through RA No. 3827 on Oct. 28, 1931.

Initially, the law declared the last Sunday of August of every year an official national holiday until the late President Jose P. Laurel moved it to Nov. 30 through Executive Order No. 20 signed in 1942.

In 1952, the late President Elpidio Quirino reverted the date of National Heroes Day to the last Sunday of August until former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law RA 9492, which moved the holiday to the last Monday of the said month.