January 2 not a holiday – Palace

MANILA, Philippines — The second day of the year is not a holiday, according to Malacañang.

“No,” Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil replied when asked by reporters whether President Marcos had declared Jan. 2 as a special non-working day.

Some Filipinos were hoping President Marcos would issue a proclamation declaring Jan. 2 a special non-working day, as he did for Dec. 26 to give Filipinos more time to celebrate the holiday.

The day after Christmas is also known as Boxing Day in British Commonwealth nations.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport said daily departures are expected to rise to 40,000 a day after the New Year celebration.

Arrivals reached 57,000 and departures at 30,000 a day after Christmas, bringing the total arrivals to 1.4 million and total departures to 750,000 for the month of December, according to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco.

“We project that the numbers will change after the New Year, when OFWs and former Filipinos who came home for the holidays go back to their work and residence abroad,” said Tansingco. — Rudy Santos