Bangsamoro holidays proposed in parliament

Two bills have been filed before the Bangsamoro parliament seeking to declare regular and special holidays for the commemoration of religious, cultural, and historical events in the autonomous region.

Under the proposed  Bangsamoro Legal Holidays Act, regular non-working holidays refer to those national and regional holidays provided by law that are observed throughout the area of autonomy.

Special holidays, meanwhile, refer to non-regular holidays in the region and certain local government units in observance of historical, religious, and other significant events which need an official proclamation from the Bangsamoro Chief Minister.

The proposed bills stated that  regular non-working holidays include:

• Bangsamoro Foundation Day every January 21
• Sheik Karimul Makhdum Day every November 7
• Eid-ul-Fitr, every Shawwal 1
• Eid-ul-Adha every Dhul Hijjah 10

The special holidays are:

• Jabidah Commemoration Day every March 18
• Commemoration of the Signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro every March 27
• Battle of Bayang Day every May 2

For the declaration of Islamic holidays with movable dates, the Chief Minister, upon the recommendation of the Bangsamoro Mufti, will make the proclamation of the actual dates on which the observance will fall.

Likewise, the proposed bill authorizes all local legislative bodies to declare other special holidays significant to their areas through ordinances, given they were issued with a certificate of historical significance of the occasion by the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage.

Once enacted, all private and public offices, private corporations and establishments, government owned and controlled corporations, private and public schools, and other institutions established and operating in the region, including those Bangsamoro offices located outside the region, shall observe the holidays.

The compensation for regular and special non-working holidays for private sector employees, shall be consistent with the Labor Code and its implementing rules and regulations.—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA Integrated News