MANILA, Philippines – The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines says the document circulating online stating that December 22 is a special (half working) day is false.
The content highlights Proclamation No. 427, purportedly endorsed by Marcos on December 21, proclaiming December 22 as a half-working day. The intention behind this proclamation is to “give the people the full opportunity to travel earlier to their respective residences and provinces in preparation to celebrate the holiday with their families and loved ones”.
“The document circulating as Proclamation No. 427, declaring Friday, 22 December 2023, as a special (half-working) day throughout the Philippines under the signature of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., is false,” the Official Gazette said.
The Official Gazette emphasized that the mentioned proclamation lacks official confirmation or acknowledgment from the government. It urged the public to depend on official government channels for reliable information and advised against spreading unverified news.
In the original Proclamation 247, authorized by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on December 15, nine individuals were declared as “National Living Treasures” or “Manlilikha ng Bayan.”
The said proclamation was Issued on December 15, it identified nine Filipino citizens involved in “any traditional art that is uniquely Filipino and whose distinctive skills have reached a high level of technical and artistic excellence.”
The president previously approved the special non-working holiday on December 26, which falls on Tuesday. The rationale behind this decision was to “encourage families to get together and strengthen their relationships, leading to a better society.”
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