Ninoy Aquino Day

Ninoy Aquino Day
Monument of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. inConcepcion, Tarlac
Official name	Commemoration of theAssassinationofNinoy Aquino
Observed by	Philippines
Type	National
Date	August 21
2024 date	August 23
Frequency	Annual
First time	2004

A photo of Ninoy Aquino

Ninoy Aquino Dayis anational non-working holiday in the Philippinesobserved annually on August 21 commemorating theassassinationof former SenatorBenigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr.,the husband ofCorazon Aquino,who later became theeleventhPhilippine President.His assassination led to the downfall of the tenth president,dictator,andkleptocratFerdinand Marcos,which ultimately resulted in thePeople Power Revolutionon February 25, 1986. Since 2004, a commemoration ceremony is traditionally held that was attended by presidentsGloria Macapagal Arroyo,Fidel V. RamosandBenigno Aquino III.

Unlike other dates reserved fornational heroes of the Philippines(likeBonifacio Day,Rizal Day,Araw ng Kagitingan,andNational Heroes Day), the date is not a "regular holiday" (double pay for working nationals) but only a "special non-working holiday" (premium of thirty-percent for working nationals), according to theLabor Code of the Philippines.

Background

Further information:Ninoy AquinoandAssassination of Ninoy Aquino

Aquino was a well-known opposition figure and critic of the then-PresidentFerdinand Marcos.Due to his beliefs, he was later imprisoned for about eight years aftermartial lawwasdeclaredin the Philippines. Even in his imprisonment, he sought a parliamentary seat forMetro Manilain theInterim Batasang Pambansaunder the banner of theLakas ng Bayan(LABAN) in1978.He eventually led in the opinion polls and was initially leading the electoral count but eventually lost to theKilusang Bagong Lipunan(KBL) slate led by First LadyImelda Marcos.Aquino remained in prison but continued to fight for democracy in the country and against the oppression of theFilipino people.After suffering from aheart attackin March 1980, he and his family moved to theUnited Statesfor medical treatment, eventually leading to his self-imposed exile for about three years. There, he continued his advocacy by giving speeches to theFilipino-Americancommunities.

Later, he planned to return to the Philippines to challenge Marcos for theparliamentary elections in 1984.Though some did not feel this was a good idea, he still did so in 1983. Upon returning to the country at Manila International Airport (now renamedNinoy Aquino International Airportin his honor), he was shot and killed on August 21, 1983, as he was escorted off an airplane by security personnel. This led to several protests at hisfuneralthat sparkedsnap presidential elections in 1986,which led to thePeople Power Revolution,catapulting his wife,Corazon Aquino,to the presidency.

History

Ninoy Aquino Day Law
Congress of the Philippines
Long title An Act Declaring August 21 of Every Year as Ninoy Aquino Day, A Special Nonworking Holiday, And For Other Purposes
Citation	Republic Act No. 9256
Territorial extent	Philippines
Signed by	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Signed	February 25, 2004
Keywords
Ninoy Aquino,Martial law under Ferdinand Marcos,Assassination of Ninoy Aquino
Status:In force

The holiday was created by Republic Act No. 9256, which was signed into law by PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyoon February 25, 2004, twenty-one years after his death and eighteen years after the People Power Revolution, and was sponsored bySenate PresidentFranklin DrilonandHouse SpeakerJose de Venecia.It requires an EDSA People Power Commission (EPPC) to hold activities in observance the day and shall be funded from the Budget of the Office of the President and from private donations.

A commemoration ceremony was held at thePeople Power MonumentinQuezon City,which was attended by Presidents Arroyo and Aquino with her family, and government officials such as members of the cabinet, top police, and military brass.

The holiday was included in President Arroyo's program of "holiday economics", adjusting the observance of the holiday to the nearest Monday in order to boost the tourism industry with long weekends.In 2010, it was moved back to its original date by Aquino's son, PresidentBenigno Aquino III.

In 2024, the observance was moved to Friday, August 23, through Proclamation No. 665, signed by PresidentFerdinand Marcos Jr.,the son of former president Ferdinand Marcos, on August 15. The adjustment was made to create a longer weekend that would encourage domestic tourism, as Monday, August 26, is already declared asNational Heroes Day.RepresentativeEdcel Lagman(Albay–1st) andBagong Alyansang Makabayan's Renato Reyes separately criticized Marcos Jr. for prioritizing the long weekend over the commemoration of an important historical event, with Lagman describing the move as illegal, citing Republic Act No. 9492, which mandates that holidays falling on a Wednesday should be observed on the preceding Monday with a proclamation issued at least six months in advance.

See also

• Public holidays in the Philippines

External links

• Republic Act No. 9256