Palace exec: No half-day declaration for govt workers

Government workers hoping to get a half-day off on Holy Wednesday so they can go to their home provinces may have to wait until Wednesday evening or Thursday morning for their trip. Malacañang on Wednesday said there is no declaration of a half-day off from the Office of the President for government workers. "To those asking, there is no half-day declaration from the Office of the President," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on her Twitter account. President Benigno Aquino III had declared Maundy Thursday and Good Friday as holidays, and Black Saturday as a special nonworking holiday. The yearly Holy Week exodus had started to peak Wednesday, with Filipinos crowding bus terminals, airports and seaports to get a ride to their home provinces. Transportation authorities have put in place safety measures and are conducting security checks to ensure the safety of travelers. — KBK, GMA News