April 10, 2024 is a regular holiday for Eid'l Fitr in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – The Malacañang Palace announced on Thursday a proclamation for Eid'l Fitr (Feast of Ramadan) regular holiday on April 10, 2024 (Wednesday).

The Dimaukom Mosque or the Pink Mosque in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued Proclamation No. 514 declaring April 10 as a regular holiday “in order to bring the religious and cultural significance of the Eid’l Fitr to the fore of national consciousness.”

Marcos added that declaring Eid’l Fitr will “allow the entire Filipino nation to join their Muslim brothers and sisters in peace and harmony.”

The proclamation was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin on April 4.

In the Arab world and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic community generally believes that Wednesday, April 10, 2024, will be the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the lunar-based Islamic calendar.

According to Proclamation No. 368 for the declaration of 2024 holidays in the Philippines, the "proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha shall hereafter be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient."

The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) recommends to the Office of the President (OP) the actual date on which Eid’l Fitr holiday will fall.

Note: April 9 (Tuesday) is a regular holiday for Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor). It is a national observance to commemorate the fall of Bataan to Japanese troops during World War II.

The Filipinos will have a super long weekend (April 6-10) with only 1 vacation leave (VL) in between on April 8.

Eid Al-Fitr is the Muslim festival that ends the fasting of Ramadan month (ninth month of the Muslim calendar) and the beginning of Shawwal.

The holy fasting period for Ramadan started on March 12, 2024 in the Philippines, according to Bangsamoro Darul Ifta (BDI), the Islamic advisory council which has jurisdiction over the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The BDI annually conducts moon sighting activities in the country to observe the first glimpse of the crescent moon.

Devout Muslims fast every day for about 30 days from dawn to sunset during the entire Ramadan, which they consider a period of introspection, communal prayer in the mosque, and reading of the Quran, Islam’s holy book.

In November 2002, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9177 into law declaring the first day of Shawwal a national holiday for the observance of Eidul Fitr.

Eid al-Fitr is traditionally celebrated by families gathering in large congregation for an Eid prayer to express gratitude to Allah for having been able to perform their personal sacrifices.

Eid'l Fitr is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations. The other one is Eid al-Adha or The Feast of the Sacrifice, celebrated on the 10th day of the last month of the Islamic calendar and commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son to God. Eid al-Adha also marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, the 5th Pillar of Islam.

In the Philippines, Muslim Filipinos comprise about 6 percent of the population.

— The Summit Express