Philippine gov't declares 2015 Chinese New Year as non-working day

MANILA - The Philippine government announced Wednesday in a proclamation on holidays that the Chinese Spring Festival in 2015 will be a special non-working day in the country.

Proclamation No. 831 signed by Philippine President Benigno Aquino III is one of the seven special non-working days for 2015. The Spring Festival next year falls on a Thursday. The proclamation also lists 10 regular holidays and one special holiday for all schools next year.

Aquino said in the proclamation that the Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, is one of the most revered and festive events celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines by both Chinese-Filipinos and ordinary Filipinos.

"The joint celebration is a manifestation of our solidarity with our Chinese-Filipinos brethren who have been part of our lives in many respects as a country and as a people," he said.