Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
MANILA — Malacañang has issued a memorandum strengthening the rules for the filing of requests for the issuance of proclamations declaring special non-working days or holidays.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin signed Memorandum Order (MO) 20 on Tuesday, after Malacañang observed that numerous requests are filed only a few days before the date itself or event.
“There is a need to strengthen the existing rules for the issuance of Presidential Proclamations declaring special non-working days or holidays,” the memorandum read.
“It has also been observed that some requests are filed with other offices thus causing unnecessary delays in the processing of the proclamation requests,” it added.
Under the memorandum, all requests for the issuance of presidential proclamations declaring special non-working days or holidays must be filed with and received by the Office of the President (OP) no less than 30 days before the special day, holiday or event sought to be covered by the proclamation.
Subject to the discretion and power of the President to issue proclamations, any request not filed within the prescribed period will be received without any action or the same will be a ground for the denial of the request, according to MO 20.
The memorandum also mandates the filing of requests with the OP or the Office of the Executive Secretary.
Based on MO 20, the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs will continue to function as the central secretariat handling the processing of the requests for the issuance of presidential proclamations.
Executive Order 292 issued in 1987 authorizes the President to proclaim any local special day for a particular date, group, or place.
MO 20, which was made public on Thursday, takes effect immediately. — Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos (PNA)
*****
Credit belongs to: www.pna.gov.ph
