PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III declared August 25 as national day of mourning following the bloody the hostage-taking incident in Quirino Grandstand Monday.
The Hong Kong government also declared a day of mourning Tuesday to express sorrow over the deaths of their nationals.
"These deaths are a great loss to the people of Hong Kong and the Philippines," part of Proclamation 23 read.
Aquino instructed all public institutions in the country and embassies and consulates overseas to lower the Philippine flag to half-mast on August 25.
Palace aide Edwin Lacierda said the national day of mourning for the victims will be observed yearly with simultaneous prayer vigils will also be held at various areas in the country.
In a related development, Malacanang has expressed alarm over the condition of Filipinos working in Hong Kong after the hostage taking.
Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang said in a press briefing they received a complaint from a domestic helper in Hong Kong.
The complainant said she was sacked by her employer after witnessing the hostage drama.
Carandang said although they have not received official reports yet, the government is appealing to foreign countries not to retaliate on innocent Filipinos abroad despite unfortunate end of the hostage crisis.
“We understand the anger and the dismay of the people of Hong Kong but at the same time we don’t think that it is right our ordinary citizens who have nothing to do with this should be paying the price for that,” he stressed.
He noted that this is one of the concerns that the government is hoping to address as they send high level delegation to Hong Kong sometime this week. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)