Marcos declares June 17 a holiday for Eid'l Adha

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared June 17, Monday, a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Eid'l Adha or the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice.

The President, through Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, signed on June 4 Proclamation 579 in connection with the Muslim feast, according to a document Malacañang released Wednesday.

The holiday declaration was made upon the recommendation of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos based on the 1445 Hijrah Islamic Lunar Calendar, Marcos said in the proclamation.

Under Republic Act 9848, the 10th day of Zhul Hijja, the 12th month of the Islamic Calendar, is a national holiday for the observance of Eid'l Adha, with a movable date.

According to Proclamation 579, Eid'l Adha is one of the greatest feasts of Islam being celebrated worldwide.

Eid'l Adha is one of the two important holidays in the Muslim calendar, the other being Eid'l Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

During Eid'l Adha, Muslims slaughter sheep, goats, cows, and camels to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son on Allah's command.

In Muslim communities, part of the meat is consumed by the family that makes the sacrificial offering of an animal, while the rest of the meat is distributed to the poor and the needy. Thus, the event has been regarded as a festival of sharing.

Like Eid'l Fitr, it is distinguished by the communal prayer at daybreak on its first day.