Philippine holidays and long-weekend schedule for 2013 (Proclamation No. 459)

Hunyo 12 by Claude Tayag (1989 Fiestas Serigraph Series)

Malacanang issued Proclamation No. 459, s. 2012 declaring the regular holidays, special non-working days, and a special school holiday for 2013. Here is the list of holidays and long-weekends of the Republic of the Philippines for 2013:

• January 1 (Tue) - New Year's Day (four-day long weekend from December 29 to January 1)
• February 10 (Sun) - Chinese New Year (no holiday declaration yet, wait for possible proclamation next year, possible long-weekend if February 11 is declared)
• February 25 (Mon) - EDSA Revolution Anniversary (holiday for schools only, long-weekend for students from February 23 to 25)
• March 28 (Thu) - Holy Thursday
• March 29 (Fri) - Good Friday
• March 30 (Sat) - Black Saturday (four-day long weekend from March 28 to 31)
• April 9 (Tue) - Araw ng Kagitingan
• May 1 (Wed) - Labor Day
• June 12 (Wed) - Independence Day
• August 8 (Thu) - Eid'l Fitr (calculated date, no declaration yet, possible three-day long weekend if declaration for August 9 is made, wait for proclamation next year)
• August 21 (Wed) - Ninoy Aquino Day
• August 26 (Mon) - National Heroes Day (three-day long weekend from August 24 to 26)
• October 15 (Tue) - Eid'l Adha (calculated date, no declaration yet, wait for proclamation next year, possible three-day long weekend from October 12 to 14 if Malacanang sets holiday on October 14)
• November 1 (Fri) - All Saints Day
• November 2 (Sat) - Special Non-Working Day (three-day long weekend from November 1 to 3)
• November 30 (Sat) - Bonifacio Day
• December 24 (Tue) - Special Non-Working Day
• December 25 (Wed) - Christmas Day
• December 30 (Mon) - Rizal Day
• December 31 (Tue) - Last Day of the Year (five-day long weekend from December 28 to January 1)

Register now for heritage conservation and cultural tourism conferences this November!

There will be two heritage events organized by ICOMOS Philippines and the Heritage Conservation Society this November. I highly encourage everyone to attend both events

ICOMOS ICTC International Conference on Cultural Tourism
The International Conference on Cultural Tourism will be held in the City of Vigan, Philippines from November 7-8, 2012. The event is organized by ICOMOS Philippines and the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee (ICTC). Vigan as venue for the conference is most apt as it is an example of a World Heritage Site as an emerging tourism destination.

Through this event, expert members of ICTC, ICOMOS Philippines and representatives from developing countries of Asia and the Pacific will establish association with national and local officials, government cultural agencies, tourism policy makers and stakeholders, cultural workers, educators and students to discuss present day issues on tourism and heritage. The benefits of community participation in conservation and cultural tourism programs as an essential aspect of cultural tourism and the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention will become the underlying themes of the conference.

For registration to the conference, e-mail vigan2012@icomosphilippines.com. Note that seats are limited. Participants will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Payment of conference fee confirms your slot. Conference fees: Professional (Php3,500 inclusive of lunch on both days, conference kits) and Undergraduate Student (Php600 inclusive of packed lunch on both days, conference kits). Check out the Facebook event page. Here is the list of conference papers as of August 27, 2012.

Heritage Conservation Summit 2012: Economics of Heritage
After six successful years of organizing the Philippine Towns and Cities Conference, the Heritage Conservation Society now brings you the Heritage Conservation Summit 2012 on Saturday, November 24, 2012 in Batangas City.

Heritage advocates, cultural workers and government agencies will gather in Batangas City for the Heritage Conservation Summit 2012. This year's theme is the Economics of Heritage where discussions will revolve on how to make heritage conservation economically viable and sustainable.

For registration to the conference, e-mail hcs_secretariat@yahoo.com. Conference fees: Professional (Php1,000) and Undergraduate Student (Php300). Check out the Facebook event page.

S.O.S Manila Bay: Save our sunset! No to the reclamation of Manila Bay!

Below is an online petition drafted by a group of concerned citizens, several of whom were part of the original group that opposed the same reclamation of Manila Bay proposed in 1992. Let us work together to stop moves for reclamation again.

Sunset on Manila Bay is a spectacular experience, and is free for all to enjoy. But not for long, if developers have their way.

In 1992, a group called “Manila Goldcoast Development Corp.” lobbied for approval to reclaim the entire Manila Bay waterfront along Roxas Boulevard, between the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the US Embassy. This scheme was challenged by citizens, who fought to preserve the last remaining access to the bay along Manila's historical district. The citizens won. The Manila City Council passed City Ordinance No. 7777, prohibiting reclamation in this area.

However, Goldcoast was, tragically, able to get City Ordinance No. 7777 repealed. In February 2011, City Ordinance No. 8233 reversed the prohibition. A consortium agreement was signed in April 2012 to reclaim the same waterfront along Roxas Boulevard, about 288 hectares of land, even swallowing up the Manila Yacht Club and the Philippine Navy Headquarters.

In addition to blocking the view of the sunset from Malate and Ermita, the reclamation will worsen floods, extinguish the tourism area along Roxas Boulevard, destroy the potential of our historic Intramuros, remove 20 vital anchorage berths for ships and most of all, take away from us a waterfront we all love.

No aspect of this scheme will improve the City of Manila in any discernible way — it is all for the profit of a few individuals.

We must act to protest this reclamation and prevent further destruction and loss of our heritage. We will stop them again.

Sign the petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/s-o-s-manila-bay-save-our-sunset-stop-the-reclamation-of-manila-bay
More information in the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/savemanilabay