Ah, Philippines. A nation of holidays.

Once again, our benevolent president has declared another special non-working holiday, this time on Monday, Sept. 7, 2009, for the funeral of Iglesia ni Cristo leader Erano Manalo. This, following two long weekends in August, Ninoy Aquino Day being on August 22 and National Heroes Day on August 31.

The last time a non-working holiday was declared for a funeral was not over a month ago, when former President Cory Aquino was buried on August 5, 2009, amidst a massive outpouring of grief and support not seen in the country since the funeral of her husband in 1983 and the EDSA Revolution in February 1986.

Meaning no disrespect to our kababayans who are members of the INC, including my own beloved sister and brother-in-law, but I just had to ask this: When did the Iglesia ni Cristo become the de facto national religion of a country which has a policy of separation of church and state? Inter alia, was the late Erano Manalo really the President of the Philippines and we didn't even know it?

Perhaps, to avoid congestion of traffic during the funeral procession, the declaration might be justified in Metro Manila or at least in the areas where the funeral will be held or will pass through. But in that case, they might as well declare the Feast of the Nazarene a non-working holiday in Manila and the surrounding areas seeing that the procession blocks traffic for miles on end every year.

But to make it a holiday throughout the entire country? For the funeral of a person who established a church of about a million or so members in a country with a population of 60 million? Meaning no disrespect, just stating the facts here. How politically correct (or maybe just politically ambitious) can you be? I now remember that proclamation of the special (but working) holiday for the anniversary of the Iglesia ni Cristo on the date of this year's SONA. Uh, come to think of it, was the 107th foundation anniversary of the Philippine Independent Church (Aglipay), the church that today is said to be the most tangible remnant of the 1898 Philippine Revolution, with a population of around two to six million, ever given any official commemoration last August 3?

Also, according to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, flags will be flown at half-mast for Manalo. Which just makes me ask again, when did Manalo become President of the Philippines, or Vice President, or Chief Justice, or President of the Senate, or Speaker of the House of Representatives? When did the National Historical Institute declare him as one of those persons for whom the flag may be flown at half-mast? Hello, NHI. You made a fuss when Martin Nievera, according to you, didn't sing the National Anthem properly. Where are you now, when people don't follow the Flag Law properly? Oh, wait. Martin is "only" a singer, a performer, an entertainer. The one who ordered that Flag Law thing is allegedly president of this country!

Not to be nitpicking here, but let's just put things in their proper perspective, shall we? Hey, I must be crazy... I'm actually protesting the declaration of a holiday. It seems to me though, that there are too many of them nowadays, when we didn't even properly celebrate many of the ones we already have.

Following on the heels of that National Artist fiasco, this just goes to show... whatever honors you recieve in this country aren't worth the paper they're written on anymore. Anyone can receive the honors due a dignitary if he's influential enough.