Cebu to get 3 special working holidays

MANILA -- Three bills seeking to declare special working holidays in Cebu have been recently approved in the Senate on third and final reading.

Backed by 14 senators with no opposition or abstention are House Bills 537, 540 and 3496, which will soon be submitted to Malacañang for signature by President Benigno Aquino III if these receive the blessing of the bicameral conference committee and Congress.

House Bill 537 declares September 5 of every year as a working holiday in Naga City to be known as the Charter City Day of the City of Naga commemorating its foundation day.

On the other hand, House Bill 540 declares July 7 of each year as a working holiday in Carcar City to be known as the Charter City Day of the City of Carcar while House Bill 3496 declares March 26 of every year as a working holiday commemorating the liberation of Cebu from the Japanese occupation during World War II.

"These local festivities will serve as great avenues for the LGUs (local government units) to promote their products, places and business opportunities that would welcome local and foreign visitors in the country, thereby boosting the economic growth of the LGUs," said Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., chairman of the committee on local government. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)