To commemorate the 150th birthday of the country's national hero, Jose Rizal, Malacañang has declared June 20 a special non-working holiday, reports GMA News Online.
Rizal's birthday, June 19, falls on a Sunday this year but the National Historical Commission of the Philippines requested the holiday to be moved to June 20, Monday.
The holiday was declared "to give all Filipinos the opportunity to commemorate Rizal's patriotic deeds and sacrifices for the country, rekindle their admiration and respect for him, and to celebrate this milestone with appropriate ceremonies," according to Proclamation No. 154.
