OLIDAY ECONOMICS in the form of a three-day weekend is the reason given by the President for having moved today's June 12 Philippine Independence Day holiday which falls on a Tuesday to Monday, June 11 this year. No matter what incremental economic activity is generated by the long weekend, however, it doesn't seem right to a lot of people to be commemorating historic events on the wrong day. It's a mockery of commemoration. By sheer coincidence, Christmas (December 25) will also fall on a Tuesday this year (2007) just like today--Philippine Independence Day, June 12. Yet it would be inconceivable that the President would do to Christmas (and the Infant Jesus) what she has just done to Emilio Aguinaldo (and the Infant Philippine Republic.) I suppose the President has bigger problems on her mind right now, what with the House and Senate leadership battles already fully joined and the midterm elections not yet quite concluded, but already a major debacle.At times like this, I wish I were an Englishman, with no need for or respect for such inventions as Declarations of Independence -- given what happened in 1777 (or was it 1776?), when colonialism and imperialism got its first shove into the dustbin of history.
FYI: THE LANGUAGE WARS continue tomorrow, Wednesday as Manuel L. Quezon III Squares Off with Dean Jorge Bocobo on ANC's formal but friendly debate program with Ms. Twink Macaraeg moderating. Resolved: That English Be The Primary Medium of Instruction in the Public Schools. 8pm on ABSCBN News All News Channel (ANC).
8 comments:
Dean,
I value your opinion on many issues, so I hope you will oblige me and consider the following...
I’m doing a writing project at tingog.com, regarding the recent murder of Musa Dimasidsing, the district supervisor who was shot dead, he was the election official who exposed the election fraud and anomalies that occurred in Maguindanao.
I hope you can join the writing project and write a blog post about your reaction, and we will link to your post, we will collect the links everyday and post them in one blog post every day starting Wednesday until Sunday. We will also combine all the links on Sunday evening in one post.
You can read about the writing project http://www.tingog.com/national-news/group-writing-project-write-for-musa-dimasidsing.html, and learn how you can participate. A simple post will do, as long as you join. Anyone that reads this can also join.
Many Pinoys believe that what Gloria Macapagal Arroyo did to June 12 is gross disrespect.
This is because she is in the habit of trivializing our sovereignty. Filipinos despite the mess the ruling elite has done to the country, believe that independence and sovereignty are real. This is the reason why the idea of moving independence day to June 11 is extremely in bad taste.
No other country would dare to make their national day movable. Even England which does not have an independence day, has St George's Day. So does Ireland, which has St Patrick's day. These days are not movable feasts.
Englishmen don't need to prove they are independent with a piece of paper.
They got independent when the Magna Carta was established.
Until today, many Englishmen I know would say, "My word is my bond!"
Tony Blair wouldn't know that coz he's a Scot!
GMA should have it so if a legal holiday falls on a Tuesday, then to declare the Monday-prior as a holiday, too. And she should throw a bone to the Catholic Church and pass a law -- a law -- so that December 23, 24 (along with Dec 25) are all holidays.
Aguinaldo chose to declare independence on June 12 1898, a Sunday, because he wanted the first anniversary of Philippine Independence Day to fall on a Monday… so Filipinos would enjoy their first long weekend in 300 years.
The Americans surrendered Bataan on April 9, 1942, a Thursday, because they were tired of fighting and they wanted to take Friday off to give themselves and the Japanese soldiers a three-day weekend break.
Rizal was executed on December 30, 1896, a Wednesday. That angered Filipinos.
They said, “we will have to wait until 1898 before we can make a long weekend out of this. Let’s start a revolution!”
Gloria took those holiday economics history lessons to heart.
Since she is a member of the Roman Catholic Taliban (no offense to Roman Catholics), she won't do that. She'd declare 24 Dec as a holiday.
I think we should stop paying lip service to this national language movement and instead admit to ourselves that English is the only language to have successfuly united this archipelago. Gosh, it's been decades. Let's move on.
On 10 January 2007, gloria declared 24 December 2007, Monday, as SPECIAL (NON-WORKING) DAY thereby making it an economical holly-jolly 4-day weekend*.
*together with April 7, Black Saturday (economical holy day) and November 2, Friday (economical ghouly day)
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Why 30 April 2007, Monday, was not made into a Non-Working WORKER’S Holiday? Beats me…
Probably it’s not an economical halili day for laborers…
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