After the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) suggested making the date a national holiday, Marcos issued Proclamation No. 201.
“In order to bring the religious and cultural significance of the Eid’l Fitr to the fore of national consciousness, and to allow the entire Filipino nation to join their Muslim brothers and sisters in peace and harmony in the observance and celebration of Eid’l Fitr, it is necessary to declare Friday, 21 April 2023, a regular holiday throughout the country,” the proclamation read.
The Muslim community celebrates Eid'l Fitr, one of the two most significant Islamic holidays, three days following the conclusion of the month-long Ramadan fast.
The second significant holiday is Eid al-Adha, also known as "The Feast of the Sacrifice," which is observed on the tenth day of the last month of the Islamic calendar and honors Abraham's (Abraham's) readiness to offer his son as a sacrifice to God.
The Hajj pilgrimage, which is the fifth pillar of Islam, ends on Eid al-Adha as well.
Approximately 6% of Filipinos identify as Muslim.
By virtue of Republic Act 9177 and Presidential Proclamation 1083, the government made Eid'l Fitr a regular holiday in 2002 to recognize the nation's Islamic history.
The Islamic lunar calendar uses the sighting of the crescent moon in the Islamic month of Shawwal to define the holiday.
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