Movable holidays

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

It used to be that only the celebration of Lent was observed on different dates. This is because such practice is specified in the calendar of the Church. So we have been used to observe the season sometimes in March, and sometimes in April. The most important days, from Good Friday to Resurrection Day, or Easter Sunday, are constants in that they culminate the weeks of observance, whichever month they happen to be.

All our other historic and memorable days, like Independence Day, National Heroes Day, Labor Day, our religious holidays, like Christmas, New Year's, All Saints and All Souls, are celebrated on the same date because of what they commemorate, or what the Church calendar states.

It was on a June 12 when our country declared independence. Labor Day, used to be May 1 because that is observed worldwide. Christmas and New Year's Day, too, are marked internationally, or in all Christian countries. People set their annual plans, marking out those days for personal and family plans. Not anymore, at least not in the Philippines, where we swap dates for holidays sometimes several times a year. Only yesterday an announcement from Malacañang came out informing the public that their holiday will not be the real day Independence was declared, but the day before. Previously we also had "movements" of holidays and the supposed justification is that pushing holidays back will promote tourism as families will have more time to travel and see places.

Ironically, the no-work day may be welcome, but many sneer at the reason given for moving holidays. How, they ask, can we travel as tourists when we do not have any extra money for it? The more days children stay out of school the more expenses parents incur, more so if they take them on outings or picnics.

But constancy and consistency are things that we no longer seem to see nowadays. And, perhaps, the movement of holidays is just another confirmation of this.*