Blue Sunday Law

June 20, 1953

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 946

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT LABOR ON SUNDAY, CHRISTMAS DAY, NEW YEAR'S DAY, HOLY THURSDAY AND GOOD FRIDAY ^*

SECTION 1. Except as herein otherwise provided, no commercial, industrial or agricultural enterprise or establishment, including stores and shops of any kind, shall be open on any Sunday, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday, from 12:00 midnight to 12:00 midnight.

SECTION 2. Except also as herein otherwise provided, no construction or repair of any building or other kind of structure, and no public works whatsoever shall be undertaken on such holidays during the same period of time.

SECTION 3. The following establishments and undertakings are excepted from the provisions of this Act: Hospitals, dispensaries, medical and dental clinics, drug stores, stevedoring and arrastre, public utilities, including loading and unloading of cargoes, finishing and curing of fish, cattle raising and dairy, poultry, amusement enterprises, printing and sale periodicals, government and private telecommunications, activity connected with the embalming and burial of persons, domestic service, driving vehicles, restaurants or eating and/or drinking establishments, markets, fairs, "talipapas", "tiangues", and "saods" or "tabos": Provided, however, That no cockfighting, Jai Alai games, or horse racing shall be held or non-religious motion picture exhibitions or theatrical performances made on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.

SECTION 4. In cases where the work is not susceptible of interruption or is so indispensable that it cannot be delayed without causing serious prejudice or obstruction to the business of a particular enterprise or establishment, the Secretary of Labor is authorized to broaden the exceptions established in the preceding section.

Any action taken by the said Secretary under this section shall be appealable by the aggrieved party or by any resident of the Philippines to the President of the Philippines.

SECTION 5. In cases of emergency, when the performance of a particular work is peremptory, the municipal or city mayor, the municipal councilor in the absence of the mayor in the former's jurisdiction, or the barrio lieutenant in the absence of the mayor and councilor within the barrio, may issue written permits allowing such work on any of the holidays mentioned in section one. A copy of such permits shall be furnished to the chief of police and the municipal treasurer of the municipality where the same is issued within five days after the issuance thereof.

SECTION 6. It shall be unlawful for any employer to reduce the compensation of any of his employees or laborers by reason of the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 7. The Secretary of Labor shall issue such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. cdt

SECTION 8. Any violation of this Act or of the rules and regulations issued thereunder shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred pesos or imprisonment for not more than one month, or both, in the discretion of the court. If any violation of this Act is committed by an association or corporation, the manager or, in his default, the person acting as such when the violation took place shall be held criminally liable. In the case of a government corporation, the managing head shall be held criminally liable, except when it is shown that the violation was due to an act or commission of some other person, over whom the former has no control, in which case the said person who is responsible for the violation shall be held criminally liable. If any alien commits a violation of this Act for the second time, the court shall order his immediate deportation.

SECTION 9. Except as provided in this Act, all the laws relative to cockfighting, horse racing, Jai Alai, games and motion picture exhibitions shall continue in force and effect.

SECTION 10. This Act shall take effect ninety days after its approval.

Approved: June 20, 1953

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 49, No. 9, p. 3789 in September 1953