MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has declared July 9 a regular holiday nationwide to allow Muslims to commemorate Eid’l Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice.
The declaration is contained in Proclamation No. 2 signed by Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez on July 5.
The observance of Eid’l Adha on Saturday should be subject to public health measures of the national government, the proclamation said.
Republic Act 9849 signed by former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2009 declared the 10th day of Zhul Hijja, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, a national holiday in observance of Eid’l Adha with a movable date.
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos recommended that July 9 be declared a national holiday in observance of the feast.
Eid’l Adha commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim, known in Jewish and Christian scriptures as Abraham, to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to Allah.
There are more than six million Muslims in the Philippines.