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Izzy Lee

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Baby Hector was the first Leap Day baby born at 12:11 am in February 2024 at Dr. Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila.  As of 8:46 am, 15 babies have been welcomed on this special day. Izzy Lee, ABS-CBN News" src="https://news-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com/api/upload-raw/20240229090220/0e836292578bf369320de856383b0255edccde6b8c8bafc222fd77c2a147c1f2.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"/><figcaption>Baby Hector was the first Leap Day baby born at 12:11 am in February 2024 at Dr. Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila.  As of 8:46 am, 15 babies have been welcomed on this special day. Izzy Lee, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — In his younger years, Jan Enero, a &quot;leaper,&quot; often puzzled over why his birthday only appeared on the calendar nearly every four years.Leaper is a term for those born on February 29.Reflecting on his school days, he shared, &quot;Nagtataka rin &#x27;yung mga kaklase ko...sinasabihan ako na &#x27;E, ikaw wala ka namang February 29 eh, may February 28 lang.&#x27;&quot;<ul class="op-related-articles"><li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/29/four-year-wait-how-leaplings-celebrate-their-feb-29-birthday-1357">Four-year wait: How leaplings celebrate their Feb. 29 birthday</a></li></ul> &quot;So parang medyo nalungkot lang ako, pero pagdating ko sa bahay, aba, meron na pa lang nakahandang cake, ice cream at iba pang mga pagkain para sa birthday ko,&quot; he added.February 29 is also known as leap day and happens during a leap year, which occurs every four years.However, being born on February 29 doesn&#x27;t mean you only celebrate your birthday every four years, according to PAGASA-DOST Astronomical Publication and Planetary Unit chief Mario Raymundo.&quot;Ibig sabihin po ng leap, lulundag ka ng isang araw...Kapag nasa eksakto kang birthday ng 29...either mag-celebrate ka ng Feb 28 o March 1,&quot; Raymundo said.According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, 3,008 individuals were born as leapers during the previous leap year on February 29, 2020.<ul class="op-related-articles"><li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/2/26/list-promos-for-leap-year-february-29-2024-1843">LIST: Promos for leap year, February 29, 2024</a></li></ul> On leap day 2024, Dr. Fabella Memorial Hospital welcomed 19 infants as of 3 pm.Baby Hector was the hospital&#x27;s first leap baby, being born at 12:11 am.&quot;Siyempre po medyo unusual day &#x27;yon...siguro po swerte din kasi medyo kakaibang date &#x27;yun,&quot; said Hector&#x27;s mother Herjie Mae Purio.<div>WHY THE EXTRA DAY?</div>A year consists of 365 days, representing the time it takes for the for the Earth to orbit the sun.However, Raymundo said this isn&#x27;t precisely 365 days but 365.2422 days, exceeding by quarter of a day, equivalent to 5.8 hours each year.These extra hours accumulate every four years, forming an additional day added to February, the shortest month, resulting in what we know as a leap day within a leap year.Raymundo shared that the concept of leap year originated when the Romans noticed discrepancies in their Easter Sunday celebration timing.&quot;During that time wala naman pong January saka February. Ang simula po talaga ng mga months noon ay simula po talaga ng vernal equinox which is March hanggang December..Nahalata talaga nila na hindi pa rin nagre-reckon sa kanilang mga festivities...especially po doon pagdating sa determination ng Easter Sunday,&quot; Raymundo said.He added that the leap year began in ancient Rome when its leader Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar, adding one day every four years, averaging 365.25 days.However, this was still short by 11 minutes and 14 seconds.Pope Gregory XIII then introduced the Gregorian calendar, eliminating the leap year every centennial year unless the year is divisible by 400 to account for the extra 11 minutes and 14 seconds each year.&quot;Nag-divide ngayon itong si Gregory. Nakita nila &#x27;yong 11 minutes and 14 seconds nag-accumulate. So nagdagdag sila ngayon na bukod sa definition na every 4 years there must be a leap year, naglagay po sila ng panibagong ruling, so every 400 years, every centennial years ay magiging leap year ang isa pero yung tatlo hindi,&quot; Raymundo said.Hence, the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years, but the year 2000 was. The next skipped leap year will be 2100.Neglecting leap days would disrupt the alignment of time with the seasons and affect major religious celebrations worldwide, such as Easter Sunday and Christmas, Raymundo said.While February 29 may be elusive, for leapers like Jan, it&#x27;s the date they anticipate most eagerly and cherish.&quot;Nasanay ako na nagdiriwang lagi ng 28 kasi ordinary years yun e. Pero kapag may Feb 29, special day &#x27;yun para sa akin &#x27;yun e. That&#x27;s something na hinintay ko for 4 years worth the wait,&quot; he said.

February 29 is also known as leap day and happens during a leap year, which occurs every four years.

February 29 is also known as leap day and happens during a leap year, which occurs every four years.

Leap year 2024: What does it mean and why the extra day?

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Leap year 2024: What does it mean and why the extra day?

Izzy Lee,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 29, 2024 05:23 PM PHT

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leap day

leap year

february 29

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