As Davao City prepares for its month-long celebration of its founding anniversary, residents eagerly await an official announcement on whether March 17, 2025, will be declared a Special Non-Working Holiday. Despite the city government’s early submission of a request, Malacañang has yet to confirm or issue an official proclamation, fueling speculations about possible political considerations.
On January 28, 2025, the 20th Davao City Council passed a resolution formally requesting the Office of the President to declare March 17, 2025, a Special Non-Working Holiday in honor of “Pasasalamat sa 88th Araw ng Davao.” The same resolution also included a request to declare August 15, 2025, as Indigenous People’s Day in line with the Kadayawan sa Davao Festival.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod confirmed that the resolution was transmitted via courier on February 5 and was delivered to Malacañang on February 6. Jennifer Romero, Officer-in-Charge of the City Tourism Operations Office, emphasized that the city followed proper protocol, noting that Memorandum Order No. 20 mandates all local government units (LGUs) to submit such requests at least 30 days before the proposed special day.
“The City has ensured to make the request in advance since the Office of the President has mandated all LGUs to make requests for issuance of Presidential Proclamations declaring special non-working holidays 30 days before the special day,” Romero stated.
However, as of writing, Malacañang has yet to respond, prompting concern among business owners, government offices, and workers who need to plan their operations accordingly. The delay has led to speculation among some observers, questioning whether political considerations are influencing the decision. Davao City, widely recognized as a stronghold of the opposition under the current administration, may be facing undue pressure in the approval process.
Local officials and residents remain hopeful that the national government will grant their request, as similar proclamations have been issued for other cities in previous years. Meanwhile, March 1, the official start of the celebration, is not included as a holiday, and the public is advised to monitor official government channels for further announcements to avoid misinformation.
With the city government still awaiting Malacañang’s response, many Dabawenyos are left wondering: Is this delay purely procedural, or is there more to it?
