President Benigno Aquino defends no holiday on Nov 2

Private time for the President, however, also seems to involve a little work as well as some personal errands such as going to the dentist.

Aquino told media, “Meron silang binigay sa akin na trabahong papeles na dapat raw aaksiyunan ngayong gabi so iyon muna ang aasikasuhin ko. Dentista ko kailangan ko ring makausap ngayong gabi, magpacheck-up. Bukas, siguro magmonitor natin lahat ng mga pagdalaw sa puntod para siguradong nasa ayos.”

The President also stood by his decision not to declare a holiday on November 2, All Souls' Day.

Speaking to reporters upon his arrival from Vietnam on Sunday, Aquino said he decided against declaring another holiday after receiving complaints from daily wage earners.

"Umaalma ang mga taong arawan ang suweldo. Pag dumadami raw ang holiday, paano naman ang suweldo nila. Kailangan nating balansihin," he said.

He added that the labor department also suggested that holidays be declared on Fridays instead of Mondays.

"Ang sabi rin ng labor, ang pinakamahirap na bigyan ng holiday yung Monday parang na-affect ang buong linggo, yun ang nirereklamo ng ibat ibang negosyo na kung puwede, sa katapusan na lang ng linggo, which is Friday normally," he said.

"But in this case nga palagay ko marami-raming nag-alisan since Friday, at yung kapakanan ng marami nating kababayan ng arawan ang suweldo ang kailangan nating tugunan dahil job generation ang una nating minungkahi," he added.

Aquino’s non declaration of several holidays has become another point of comparison between him and predecessor Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who instituted the holiday economics scheme to bolster local tourism by declaring many long holidays.

President Benigno Aquino III is spending All Saints' Day, November 1, privately and quietly.

 President Benigno Aquino III is spending All Saints' Day, November 1, privately and quietly and will visit the graves of his parents, Sen. Noynoy and President Corazon Aquino, on November 2 instead.

In a text message to Malacañang media, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said Aquino is having "private time today to rest after hectic trip.  Family has always gone to Memorial Park either on Oct 31 or Nov 2."
He added that cemeteries and memorial parks are crowded on November 1 because many Filipinos visit the graves of their loves ones on that day, instead of November 2, All Souls' Day. "On Nov 1, masyadong maraming tao, less likely for them to have quiet time while honoring parents," Coloma said.
Deputy Presidential  Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President opted to visit on November 2 to allow some privacy for himself and his siblings and let the public visit his parents on November 1.
“The family chose to visit Manila Memorial Park to visit the tombs of their parents tomorrow so they will have the privacy to pray. If the President goes there now, malilimit time ng kababayan natin to go to the tombs themselves.  From what I understand yes (sabaysabay) I know the president will be going with his sisters.”
The President himself told reporters on Sunday that he will likely visit his parents' graves on November 2 but only after discussing the matter with his sisters, Ballsy, Pinky, Viel and Kris.
"Gusto namin ng oras para makapagdasal ng  maayos, magunita ang aming mga magulang. Pag nakipagsisiksikan tayo ng November 1 maraming masyadong kasing ano, dumadami ang kasama namin sa puntod, hindi kami nakakadasal. So it's normally October 31 or November 2. So kadadating ko lang ngayon, siguro November 2 na kami," he said.
Valte, meanwhile, reiterated her message last week for a peaceful commemoration of All Saints’ Day. She also reminded the public to prepare for possible rains.

DAILY NEWS IN PHILIPPINES

RAINY DAY: ALL ROADS LEAD TO CEMETERIES TODAY

 - The nation comes together in moments of prayer today in observance of All Saints’ Day in keeping with a centuries-old tradition of paying homage to departed loved ones by offering candles and flowers at their graves.

Millions of Filipinos will rise at the crack of dawn to inch their way to the cemeteries.

Around the country, Monday’s celebration is another moment in time when superstition blends with religion as dishes of food are left on family tables and candles are lighted at doorsteps to welcome departed loved ones believed to visit the homes they once shared with those whom they left behind.

All Saints’ Day remains one of the most beloved and enduring Philippine traditions dating back to ancestral times that continue to cross generations and reunite families in the burial grounds of loved ones against a background of a million lighted candles, an observance that continues to strike a welcome chord of celebration, especially among the nation’s youth.

Before Vatican II, All Saints’ Day today, Nov. 1, and All Souls’ Day Tuesday, Nov. 2, used to be holy days of obligation, requiring Catholics to attend mass on those two days.

Today, the church offers continued masses for the dead for the rest of the month starting Nov. 1 but without obliging attendance among Catholics except on years when November 1 falls on a Sunday.

In the provinces, many families continue to visit their departed loved ones on November 2, All Souls’ Day, in rites that continue to carry a more solemn note, miles away from the prevailing All Saints’ Day hysteria in the cities.

Somehow, it cannot be refuted that in the aftermath of Vatican II the somber mood of the All Saints’ Day celebration started to fade, with a carnival atmosphere emerging in the midst of picnics held on memorial grounds.

Rain or shine, bumper-to-bumper traffic is the main highlight of Monday’s celebration in all roads leading to cemeteries starting in the early morning hours while E. De los Santos Avenue (EDSA), Metro Manila’s principal highway and other main arteries will be almost empty of vehicular traffic.

All Saints’ Day pandemonium that made its appearance in the late 1960s began to force families in the early 1980s to visit their departed loved ones before Nov. 1, aimed at steering clear of both vehicular and human traffic inside and outside cemeteries, and the emerging memorial parks.

Fainting pregnant women and missing little children are among the notable occurrences of Monday’s celebration, but government health workers, doctors, nurses, ambulance, wheelchair watert stations, and Boy Scout volunteers are there to extend immediate support.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) for many years has continued to keep an outstanding and consistent role of maintaining peace and order in airport and bus terminals, days leading to Monday’s celebration to ensure the safety of families travelling outside of Metro Manila.

Police visibility is keenly palpable not only in every street corner in all streets approaching memorial grounds in the cities not only to keep traffic flowing, but inside the cities of the dead to make sure that nobody is allowed to bring alcohol, guns, and other weapons to guarantee the safety of the expected huge crowds.

When the crowds begin to gather in memorial parks before the long week-end, they had left behind huge profits in the hands of giant supermarkets and public markets during the shopping binge families indulged in to make Monday’s sort-of-family reunion another sweet time to remember.

Not to be left behind, candle and flower shops whose inventories nearly went dry early in the day in the past two weeks leading to Monday’s celebration, likewise collected their just profits from the mad scramble of early bird shoppers.

All Saints’ Day shopping has become a prelude to the shopping festival of the Christmas season when wallets begin to thin, fortunately before the rush of the Christmas bonuses and perks.

There is an element of optimism that despite the uncertain economy, this year’s All Saints’ Day shopping indicators would lead to an upbeat Christmas buying spree.

In the meantime, if getting inside may appear to be the toughest task to hurdle, getting out of cemeteries and memorial parks always remains to be on the other side of the traffic equation.

At the end of the day for millions of Filipino families, Monday’s rough-and tumble of vehicular and human traffic cannot hold a candle to the shared moments spent in silent prayers by the gravesites of loved ones who have gone to reap what they have sown in a place where there is no more space for tears.

BY:lacky z. del rosario