Filipinos can look forward to a long weekend after President Arroyo declared August 21, Friday, as special holiday in honor of the late Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.

In Proclamation No. 1699, the President listed August 21, the death anniversary of Aquino whose sacrifices led to the fall of the Marcos dictatorship, as among the special non-working days for the year.

Aquino, a known critic of then President Ferdinand Marcos, fell to an assassin's bullet on Aug. 21, 1983. His death triggered the historic "People Power" revolution three years later that resulted to the ouster of Marcos.

The other remaining special days listed in Proclamation No. 1699 are All Saints Day on November 1 (Sunday); All Souls Day on November 2 (Monday); Christmas Eve on December 24 (Thursday); and New Year’s Eve on December 31 (Thursday).

In 2004, the President signed Republic Act 9256 declaring Aug. 21 of every year as "Ninoy Aquino Day," a special non-working holiday.

The law requires the EDSA People Power Commission (EPPC) to hold appropriate activities to pay tribute to Sen. Aquino, whose death triggered the 1986 People Power Revolution. RA 9256 also provides that funding for the commission’s operations will come from the budget of the Office of the President and from private donations.