President Arroyo has declared Wednesday, Aug. 5, a special non-working holiday nationwide to give opportunity to the public to honor and pay their final respects to former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino who will be laid to rest at the Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque City on Wednesday.

Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio said the President, who is in now in New Jersey, United States, signed Proclamation No. 1851 in New York last Aug. 1 (New York time, Aug. 2, Sunday in Manila) declaring Aug. 5 a special non-working holiday in honor of Mrs. Aquino.

“We are affording every Filipino to have his/her own time to ponder the significance of President Aquino’s leadership, courage, faith humility and patriotism and solemnly pay their respects over her passing and burial,” Claudio said in a radio interview over government-run Radyo ng Bayan.

He appealed to critics not to inject political color on President Arroyo’s visit to Mrs. Aquino’s wake after she arrives on the early dawn of Wednesday, saying that Mrs. Aquino’s passing is a “non-political event.”

“There is no political agenda. There is no political motive at hindi sana masamain ng kritiko ng ating pamahalaan ang pagbisita ng Pangulo,” Claudio said.

He said Mrs. Arroyo will also offer a special mass for the former President as her sincere expression of leading the nation in mourning Mrs. Aquino’s demise. The President has cut her US trip short to attend the late president’s burial.

“We observe the time of the passing and the funeral of President Aquino in spirit of unity and brotherhood among Filipinos,” he said.

The President also signed Proclamation No. 1850 declaring a period of national mourning from August 1 to Aug 10.

Claudio said Malacañang also asked the Philippine National Police and Metro Manila Development Authority to ensure the orderly transfer of Mrs. Aquino’s remains from La Salle Greenhills to Manila Cathedral Sunday, Aug. 2.

In New York City, there will also be no work in Philippine government and private offices on Aug. 5 when the Filipino nation bids farewell to Mrs. Aquino.

“It is but proper for a grieving people to be given the opportunity to honor and show their respect, appreciation and gratitude to the beloved former President in their own respective ways,” the proclamation reads.

The special holiday declaration was signed by the President last Aug. 1 while on a working visit in New York City. Press Secretary Cerge Remonde announced the issuance of the proclamation at a news conference at the Waldorf Astoria.

The President has cut short her schedules in the US, scrapping the Chicago-San Francisco-Guam leg so she could pay her last respect to former Mrs. Aquino next Wednesday, according to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

Ermita said the President is expected to depart New York City on Monday with a technical stopover in San Francisco, before arriving in Manila early Wednesday morning.

In her original schedule, the President was supposed to meet potential investors in Chicago, information technology experts in San Francisco, and the Filipino community in Guam.

“With due respect to the passing away of former President Aquino, the President decided to cut the Chicago-San Francisco-Guam and proceed directly back home from New York, passing through San Francisco for refueling, then on to the Philippines hopefully arriving early morning of Wednesday,” Ermita said.

“The President will try to have a schedule of visiting the remains of the former president. The details are now being studied and we will make formal announcements on it,” he added.

The President’s last official activity in New York City is her attendance of a Sunday mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The First Couple will also celebrate their 41st wedding anniversary on August 2. It was unclear why the President will wait until Monday before she flies back home.

Upon the President’s arrival in Manila on Wednesday, Ermita said a mass will be held for the late Mrs. Aquino in Malacanang.

Ermita said they also respect the wishes of the Aquino family to hold a private wake and funeral. “There was already contact with members of the family and they politely wished that the interment of President Aquino be as simple as much as possible and the family decided to forego of the offer byMalacannag to give state honors in Malacanang. So there will be no lying in state in the Palace but full military honors are being accorded through the military, and also by the police,” he said.