President Aquino has declared November 17-20, 2015 as holidays in the National Capital Region (Metro Manila) to give way for the leaders of 27th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. The Philippines will be hosting this year's APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) scheduled on November 18-19 which will be attended by twenty-one (21) world leaders, including US President Barack Obama. The legal bases of these holidays are the following:
(1) November 18 & 19 = Proclamation No. 1072 issued on July 13, 2015; special non-working holidays for both the public and private sectors
(2) November 17 & 20 = Memorandum Circular No. 84 issued on September 23, 2015; holidays for government offices only, including Government-Owned or – Controlled Corporations (GOCCs)
The additional holidays in November 17 and 20 were issued by the President upon the recommendation of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation – Office of the Director General
(APEC- ODG), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Suspension of work in the local government units and private companies on November 16, 17, and 20 shall be on a voluntary basis.
This is the second time that the Philippines will host APEC Summit. The first one was on November 24-25, 1996, the eight (8th) summit held in Subic, Zambales.
