PNoy declares May 9 a special non-working holiday

President Benigno Aquino III has declared May 9 a special non-working holiday, Malacañang said Wednesday.

“May 9, Election Day, is a special non-working holiday per Proclamation No. 1254 signed by President Aquino on April 25, 2016,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said in a text message to reporters.

The proclamation read: "9 May 2016 should be declared a special public (non-working) holiday to enable the people to properly exercise their right of suffrage."

Read: List of regular and special holidays for 2016

A total of 54,363,844 Filipinos will vote in the May 9, 2016 local and national elections, which falls on a Monday. —ALG, GMA News