In issuing Proclamation No. 1471, President Arroyo acknowledges that the observance of Holy Week is "one of our people’s most cherished traditions," Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.

The declaration would give the public four non-working days as March 22, Black Saturday, falls between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, which are all regular holidays. Maundy Thursday is also a non-working holiday.

"Our people must be given the full and uninterrupted opportunity to ponder on the significance of the Holy Week and to properly observe its traditions with religious fervor, without prejudice to public interest," the order read.

In the past, Black Saturday has been declared a special day throughout the Roman Catholic-dominated country.

Malacañang meantime left to heads of government agencies to allow employees to get off from work early yesterday.

Ermita said the declaration of a half-day on Wednesday does not need a formal issuance from the Office of the President.

"We are leaving it to heads of agencies to determine if they can maintain a skeletal force (with the) understanding our compatriots have to move for the provinces to observe Holy Week," Ermita said.

Meanwhile, Acting Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque said Proclamation 1471 would allow the people to observe Holy Week without interruption in view of an earlier presidential directive, which declared March 20 and 21, 2008, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, respectively, as regular holidays nationwide.

Roque said the following will shall apply on the observance of the special nonworking day on March 22, and the two regular holidays on March 20 and 21:

1. For the special day, the no work, no pay policy shall apply if the day is unworked unless there is a favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment on a special day even if the day is unworked. If worked, plus 30 percent of the employee’s daily rate of 100 percent shall apply on the first eight hours of work, and in excess of eight hours, there will be an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on said day. If the day falls on the employee’s rest day and is worked, plus 50 percent of the daily rate of 100 percent shall apply on the first eight hours of work, and in excess of eight hours, plus 30 percent of the hourly rate.

2. For regular holidays on March 20 and 21, workers should be paid 100 percent of their regular salary for that day if it is the workers’ regular workday and the day is unworked. If worked, 200 percent shall apply on the first eight hours, and in excess of eight hours, plus 30 percent of the hourly rate on said day. If the day falls on an employee’s rest day and is unworked, 100 percent shall apply but if worked, plus 30 percent of 200 percent shall apply, and in excess of eight hours, plus 30 percent of the hourly rate on said day.