When President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared October 31 as a non-working holiday, it was for an advantageous end, not just for us to idle around and do nothing.
The president knows full well that during this time, many Filipinos who live elsewhere decide to go back to their ancestral places for the yearly observance of honoring their dead loved ones. It’s a travel time, which takes longer for some people, depending on how far they are coming from. If not declared a holiday, this date would have these fellow countrymen marked absent in their respective workplaces.
Besides making room for the mobility of the masses during this time of the year, the president is allowing those who do not observe the religious tradition to make use of their time to unwind and enjoy beaches and resorts that they might opt to visit. This, in a way, is meant to boost our local tourism which desperately needs to recover from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a matter of fact, the time is still limited despite being taken for a long weekend, especially for those who really come from far-away places and are compelled to take cutting trips. The buying of tickets alone already takes time as they fall in line at the passenger terminals, with an ocean of commuters competing to get the needed trip tickets.
Surely, declaring the said date as a non-working holiday is a wise move for the government to do. At least, workers on leave will have time to rejoin their loved ones in the provinces, and those on vacation will be able to contribute to the tourism revenues necessary for the agency to recover and survive. From the Leyte-Samar Daily Express family, we say: stay safe, everyone!
