A HUMAN rights activist during the martial law years has criticized the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to move the observance of Ninoy Aquino Day from Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024 to Friday, Aug. 23.
Meinrado Paredes, who is also a retired judge, told SunStar Cebu on Tuesday, Aug. 20, that “changing the date of this significant occasion appears to lack sufficient justification and could potentially undermine the importance of the day.”
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman also criticized Marcos’ proclamation, saying it violated Republic Act (RA) 9492, or an Act Rationalizing the Celebration of National Holidays, which is also known as Holiday Economics Law.
Marcos issued Proclamation 665 last Aug. 15, moving the observance of Ninoy Aquino Day “to provide for a longer weekend thereby promoting domestic tourism.”
The President’s proclamation also states that “the historical significance of Ninoy Aquino Day” must be “maintained” despite the change of date of the observance.
In a statement, the Aquino family said “moving a day of commemoration will not diminish the fact that Ninoy died fighting for the country and the people he so loved and his death sparked a revolution that ended Marcos Sr.’s authoritarian rule.”
The Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation announced on its Facebook page that it will commemorate the late senator’s life in his hometown, Concepcion, Tarlac on Aug. 21, with a mass, wreath-laying ceremony and a film viewing.
Lagman, in a Facebook post on Aug. 16, said that “Ninoy Aquino’s death must be celebrated on the day of his assassination.”
“No holiday economics or domestic tourism boost can hold a candle to Ninoy’s heroism,” he said.
“The dates of national memorials must not be changed to dilute its significance and accommodate revisionism. It is in the same manner that we cannot not change the dates of Christmas Day on Dec. 25, New Year’s Day on Jan. 1, the culmination of the four-day Edsa revolution on Feb. 25, Labor Day on May 1 and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8,” he added.
The Ninoy Aquino Day is mandated by RA 9526, which was signed into law by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2004. The non-working holiday commemorates the assassination of former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. at the tarmac of Manila International Airport on Aug. 21, 1983.
Aquino was a staunch critic and opponent of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the father of the incumbent chief executive. Marcos Sr. held power from 1965 until 1986 when he was ousted by the peaceful People Power Revolution. Following the declaration of martial law on Sept. 21, 1972, Marcos Sr. held dictatorial powers and committed political repression, corruption and human rights abuses.
President Marcos’ basis for his proclamation is RA 9492, which Arroyo signed into law in 2007. However, the difference is that Arroyo’s Holiday Economics Law allows for the observance of certain regular and special holidays to be moved to the nearest Monday, not Friday.
The Holiday Economics Law aims to create long weekends and boost domestic tourism and provide Filipinos with more time to spend with their families.
According to Lagman, the change of date of Ninoy Aquino Day violates RA 9492, which states that “in the event the holiday falls on a Wednesday, the holiday will be observed on the Monday of the week. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday will be observed on the Monday that follows. Provided, That for movable holidays, the President shall issue a proclamation, at least six months prior to the holiday concerned, the specific date that shall be declared as a non-working day.”
“The change of date in Ninoy Aquino’s death celebration this year is obviously in violation of the law as it should have been proclaimed by the President six months ago,” Lagman said. (JBB, KAL)