President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a bill declaring September 2 of every year a special non-working holiday in Ifugao province.

Republic Act No. 11120, which was approved on October 30, calls for the commemoration of the surrender of General Tomoyuki Yamashita, commander of the then Japanese Imperial Army in the Philippines in Kiangan, Ifugao.

The law tasked the Provincial Government of Ifugao, in coordination with the municipal government of Kiangan, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, and the Military Shrines Services, to lead appropriate and meaningful commemorative programs and activities to be participated by officials and employees of the national provincial and municipal government agencies and instrumentalities, and civic, religious, non-government, business and civil society organizations.

This is to give significance and honor the heroes and heroines who contributed to the Philippines' liberation from the Japanese forces, the Act read.

The new law shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Duterte also inked into law 16 other bills, declaring special non-working holidays in various parts of the country on different dates of every year.

Their respective holidays coincide with their founding anniversaries.

These are the following:

RA No. 11113 - March 24 - Ligao City in Albay

RA No. 11114 - December 8 - Agoo in La Union

RA No. 11115 - June 16 - Villanueva in Misamis Oriental

RA No. 11116 - September 17 - Los Banos in Laguna

RA No. 11117 - July 4 - Lanao del Norte

RA No. 11118 - May 22 - Guimaras

RA No. 11119 - April 3, Albay, including its cities

RA No. 11121 - November 2 - Misamis Occidental

RA No. 11122 - September 21 - Cebu, including highly urbanized and component cities

RA No. 11123 - November 15 - Occidental Mindoro

RA No. 11124 - September 7 - Cavite City in Cavite

RA No. 11125 - June 17 - Agusan del Sur

RA No. 11126 - November 22 - Sultan Kudarat

RA No. 11128 - July 4 - Cadiz City in Negros Occidental

RA No. 11129 - June 27 - El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental

RA No. 11130 - December 1 - Padre Garcia in Batangas. Celerina Monte/DMS