MANILA — Malacañang has declared September 12, 2022 a special non-working holiday in Ilocos Norte in honor of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Sr's birth anniversary, documents showed on Thursday.

In a Facebook post, Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc shared Proclamation No. 53, which was signed by Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez on Wednesday.

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While President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr's namesake father's 105th birth celebration falls on a Sunday or on Sept. 11, the special non-working holiday would allow the province to "celebrate the occasion."

"It is but fitting and proper that the people of the province of Ilocos Norte be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies, subject to the public health measures of the national government," the proclamation read.

Marcos Sr. was in power from 1965 until 1986. The older Marcos imposed martial law from 1972 until 1981, a period marred by corruption and human rights abuses.

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Rights watchdog Amnesty International has reported that some 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 tortured and over 3,200 killed during Martial Law.

Three years after the assassination of Marcos' Sr.'s most vocal critic, former Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., the EDSA People Revolution ousted the Marcoses and were forced into exile in the United States.

Cases were filed against the family and some of their ill-gotten properties were recovered by government.

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