Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor)2026 · Date · History · Messages
Philippine legislation establishes the observance and its statutory date framework; Proclamation No. 1006 sets the 2026 observed holiday on 9 April, while other years can differ under law or proclamation.
About Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor)
Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) is a Philippine regular holiday commemorating wartime courage and sacrifice associated with the defense of Bataan and Corregidor.
For 2026, Proclamation No. 1006 places the holiday on 9 April. Future observed dates should be checked against the applicable annual presidential proclamation because Philippine law permits the observance to be moved.
Why Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) matters
The day is a national remembrance of service, sacrifice and the historical experience of Filipinos during the Second World War.
Commemoration can honor veterans and civilians without romanticizing warfare or turning historical remembrance into present-day political advocacy.
History of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor)
Republic Act No. 3022, approved on 6 April 1961, proclaimed 9 April as Bataan Day and a legal holiday in honor of the defenders of Bataan.
Later national holiday law uses the name Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day).
Republic Act No. 9492 established a Monday-nearest-9-April framework unless modified by law or proclamation, and later annual proclamations have sometimes placed the observed holiday on a different date.
For example, the 2023 holiday proclamation placed Araw ng Kagitingan on 10 April, while Proclamation No. 1006 places the 2026 observance on 9 April.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Bataan Day
The 1961 Bataan Day legal holiday is the earlier statutory naming phase of the observance later identified in national holiday law as Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day).
Congress of the Philippines / President of the Philippines
Republic Act No. 3022
Placed Araw ng Kagitingan on the Monday nearest 9 April unless otherwise modified by law or proclamation.
Congress of the Philippines / President of the Philippines · Republic Act No. 9492
Declared Araw ng Kagitingan on 9 April for the 2026 holiday calendar.
President of the Philippines · Proclamation No. 1006
Government of the Philippines
The national government continues to establish the observed holiday date through the official annual holiday proclamation framework.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
3 fields not established in reviewed sources
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
Also known as
Bataan Day
How to Observe Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor)
Attend or follow official remembrance ceremonies and historical programs.
Visit a museum, memorial or archive to learn about Bataan, Corregidor and the people affected by the war.
Read veterans’ and civilians’ accounts from reputable historical collections.
Use the applicable annual government holiday proclamation when planning around the observed date.
Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) Facts
Araw ng Kagitingan is a Philippine regular holiday.
Republic Act No. 3022 established 9 April as Bataan Day in 1961.
Current holiday law identifies the observance as Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day).
The observed date is not safely reusable as a permanently fixed 9 April date because annual proclamations can modify it.
Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) Messages
May Araw ng Kagitingan be observed with gratitude, historical care and respect for those who endured war.
Remembering the people whose service and sacrifice are honored on the Day of Valor.
On this day of national remembrance, may history be approached with dignity, accuracy and compassion.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Lawphil — Republic Act No. 3022 (1961), Bataan Day (opens in a new tab)
Official Legal Library
Supreme Court E-Library — Proclamation No. 1006, 2026 holidays (opens in a new tab)
Official Legal Library
Supreme Court E-Library — Republic Act No. 9492 (2007), holiday date framework (opens in a new tab)
Official Legal Library
Presidential Communications Office — Araw ng Kagitingan 2026 message (opens in a new tab)
National Presidency Message
Official Gazette / Supreme Court E-Library — 2023 holiday proclamation placing Araw ng Kagitingan on 10 April 2023 (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor)?
9 April 2026; verify each target year The documented recurrence rule is: Republic Act No. 9492 places Araw ng Kagitingan on the Monday nearest 9 April unless otherwise modified by law or proclamation; Proclamation No. 1006 sets 9 April for 2026. Verify each target year..
Does Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) fall on the same date every year?
Not automatically. This date is specific to a particular edition and should be confirmed for another year.
Is Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Philippine regular holiday; “Bataan Day” is a common/legacy English label. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor)?
The reviewed sources identify Congress of the Philippines / President of the Philippines as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Government of the Philippines.
Is Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Philippine regular holiday; “Bataan Day” is a common/legacy English label. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-21.
When is Araw ng Kagitingan?
For 2026, the official holiday proclamation sets it on 9 April. For another year, check that year’s Philippine holiday proclamation because the observed date can move.
Was it previously called Bataan Day?
Yes. Republic Act No. 3022 established 9 April as Bataan Day in 1961; later legal terminology uses Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day).
Is Araw ng Kagitingan a regular holiday?
Yes, it is included in the Philippine regular-holiday framework, subject to the applicable law and annual proclamation.
Does this guide provide holiday-pay or employment advice?
No. Employment and holiday-pay questions should be checked against current Department of Labor and Employment rules or qualified local advice.