President Benigno Aquino III declares “Eidul Adha” a regular holiday

President Benigno Aquino III declares October 15 a regular holiday. 

Eid al-Adha or Feast of Sacrifice is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar. It concludes the Pilgrimmage to Mecca. Eid al-Adha lasts for three days and commemorates Ibraham’s (Abraham) willingness to obey God by sacrificing his son. Muslims believe the son to be Ishmael rather than Isaac as told in the Old Testament. Ishmael is considered the forefather of the Arabs. According to the Koran, Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son when a voice from heaven stopped him and allowed him to sacrifice a ram instead.

(Source: The University of Kansas, Medical Center: http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/eid-al-adha.html )

This is not the first time President Benigno Aquino III declares a Muslim Feast a regular holiday. And this is right so. Looking at the calendar of official holidays in the Philippines, one can see that many of these days are Christian holidays. Even the Chinese celebrate their New Year on an official holiday.