Holiday declarations in the Philippines is based on the laws passed by Congress and Ordinance powers of the President of the Philippines.
The following details the Holidays officially celebrated in the Philippines.
Table of Contents
Latest Holidays in the Philippines
What are the Holidays for 2021 in the Philippines?
The following is the list of nationwide Holidays in the Philippines as declared by the latest Proclamation of the President,
| Year | Proclamation | Remarks |
| 2021 | Proclamation No. 986, series of 2020 | |
| - | Proclamation No. 1107, series of 2021 | Amends the Proclamation for the year 2021 to declare working days |
What is the difference between Regular Holiday and Special Non Working day?
The difference between a Regular Holiday and a Special Non-Working Holiday is the amount of additional pay, attendance prior the holiday, and the law or decree where it emanated.
Generally, a Holiday is a day when work is suspended in order to commemorate and celebrate the custom or tradition. However, The Philippines categorizes Holidays into either Regular Holiday and Special Holiday; while the latter is categorized further into working and non-working Holiday.
A Regular holiday is customarily celebrated on a certain date and has been declared as such by law. While, a Special Non-Working Holiday is generally proclaimed as such by the President through its Ordinance Power as stated in Section 4, Chapter 2 of the 1987 Administrative Code.
Special Non-Working Days are supposed to be situational or individual declarations for a certain day by the President. However, the Philippines currently has regularly or annual celebrated Special Non-working Days which has diluted the term with Regular Holiday.
Examples of Special Non-Working Days that are passed into law are Ninoy Aquino Day and Feast of Immaculate Conception
How many Regular Holidays does the Philippines have?
The Philippines has twelve (12) Regular Holidays as of 2021.
Holiday Pay Calculation
How do I calculate the payment of wages during the Holiday?
The calculation of Holiday Pay is divided into 2 categories: Regular Holiday Pay and Special Non-Working Day Pay. Learn more about how to calculate Holiday Pay by following this link.
Holidays declarations in the Philippines
How are Holidays declared in the Philippines?
Holidays are declared in the Philippines by Proclamations issued by the President of the Philippines. In addition, there may be localized suspension of work in a city or municipality that requires Proclamations by either the President or the local chief executive such as the Mayor.
Local Holidays
Local Holidays in the city are declared by the Local Chief Executive. An example of city-wide suspension of work is Executive Order No. 1, series of 2021 in Manila which was declared to commemorate the Feat of the Black Nazarene by issued by the Manila Mayor.
Foundation days of cities are also declared as Holidays that are only localized within the city itself.
There are also Localized Holidays passed into law such as RA 11144 declaring June 19 as a Special Non-Working Holiday in the province of Laguna.
History of legislature on declaration of Holidays in the Philippines
The Philippines is a republic and therefore laws are passed by the Legislative body. However, there are pre-current Republic and colonial-era passed laws that are still recognized today.
A list that I could find prior to 1987 Administration Code was from the 1917 colonial Administrative Code under the United States of America, which reads the following:
SECTION 29. Legal holidays. – Thursday and Friday of Holy Week, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and Sundays are legal religious holidays.
The other legal holidays are: The first of January, the twenty-second of February, the first of May, the thirtieth of May, the fourth of July, the thirteenth of August, the thirtieth of November, the thirtieth of December, and the day appointed by law for holding the general election. [xxx]
SECTION 30. Special holiday declared by (Governor-General) President of the Philippines. – The (Governor-General) President of the Philippines may, in his discretion, proclaim any other day a special public holiday for a particular date, and in calling a special election for a member of the (Philippine Legislature) National Assembly, or for a provincial office he shall limit such holiday, if one is declared, to the particular district or province where the election is held.
The Philippines being an American colony at the time celebrated American Holidays such as Thanksgiving and the 4th of July. Such Holidays, however, no longer separated in the the country.
Post-Martial Law, Executive Order No. 203 issued on June 30, 1987 organized the list of Regular Holidays and Nationwide Special Holidays as there were "too many holidays being observed which has caused confusion among the public" according to the aforementioned executive order.
The list of Regular Holidays and Special (Non-Working) Holidays was further codified into E.O. No. 292, series of 1987 also known as the 1987 Administrative Code of the Philippines.
RA 9492 was signed on 2007 by President Gloria Arroyo which included Eidul Adha as a regional holiday. At this time, President Arroyo introduced the concept of "Holiday Economics" that allowed the movement of the day of Holiday into the nearest Monday for long-weekend to occur.
RA 9849 was signed and included Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha as nation-wide Holidays. The aforementioned Republic Act was the latest statute that compiled all Regular Holidays and Special Non-working Holidays.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, President Duterte amended that proclamation for 2021 to declare All Souls' Day (2 November), Christmas Eve (24 December), and Last Day of the Year (31 December) as Special Working Days.
This is explicitly allowed as stated in Section 2 of RA 9849 which reiterates the provisions in the 1987 Administrative Code of the Philippines:
Unless otherwise modified by law, order, or proclamation, the following regular holidays and special days shall be observed in the country: [xxx]
Terminology of Regular Holiday
The present terms are currently Regular Holiday and Special Non-Working Day. The outdated term for Regular Holiday is "Legal Holiday".
Legal Religious Holidays are also separated in earlier issuances.
Laws regarding declarations of Nationwide Holidays
List of Laws declaring National Holidays in the Philippines
| Law | Signatory | Year | Remarks | Administrative Code |
| Act No. 345 | United States Philippine Commission | 1902 | Colonial Philippines | |
| Act No. 2711 | Governor-General of the Philippines | 10 March 1917 | Colonial Philippines; Revised Administrative Code | |
| RA 57 | 17 October 1946 | An Act to Amend Section Twenty-Nine of Act Numbered Twenty-Seven Hundred and Eleven, Known as the Revised Administrative Code | ||
| RA 229 | Pres. Elpidio Quirino | 1948 | Rizal Day | |
| RA 243 | 12 June 1948 | An Act To Amend Section Twenty-Nine Of Act Numbered Twenty-Seven Hundred And Eleven, Otherwise Known As The Revised Administrative Code, As Amended By Republic Act Numbered Fifty-Seven | ||
| RA 3022 | Pres. Carlos Garcia | April 6, 1961 | Declared Bataan Day, which as referred to as a Legal Holiday | |
| RA 4166 | - | - | Amends the date for Philippine Independence Da from July 4 to June 12 and declares July 4 as Philippine Republic Day | Revised Administrative Code |
| Executive Order 202, series of 1987 | Pres. Corazon Aquino | 1987 | Compiled all holidays celebrated in the Philippines | |
| Executive Order 292, series of 1987 | Pres. Corazon Aquino | 1987 | Also known as the 1987 Administrative Code; Codified all holidays; It contains all holidays originally indicated in ED 202, series of 1987 | |
| Republic Act No. 9177 | Pres. Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo | 13 November 2002 | ||
| Republic Act No. 9256 | Pres. Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo | 2004 | Declaring the Monday nearest August 21 "Ninoy Aquino Day" as a Special Non-working Holiday. | |
| RA 9492 | Pres. Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo | 2007 | Declaring certain days, which are specific or movable, | |
| RA 9849 | Pres. Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo | 2009 | Compiled the list of holidays and added Eidul Adha as a Regular Holiday | |
| RA 10966 | Pres. Rodrigo Duterte | 2017 | Declaring 8 December as a Special non-working holiday in view of Feast of Immaculate Conception of Mary |
Official list of Holidays passed into laws or Republic Acts
The current Holidays based on the latest statute is approved through Republic Act (RA) 9849, as amended by RA 10966, which are the following:
Regular Holidays
| Regular Holiday | Date | First Legislation or Law as Nationwide Holiday | Codified into EO 292 |
| New year's Day | January 1 | Act No. 2711 (Or even before) | Codified |
| Maundy Thursday | Movable Date | Act No. 2711 (Or even before) | Codified |
| Good Friday | Movable Date | Act No. 2711 (Or even before) | Codified |
| Eid'l Fitr | Movable Date | Republic Act (RA) No. 9177 | - |
| Eidul Adha | Movable Date | Republic Act (RA) No. 9849 | - |
| Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day) | Monday nearest April 9 | Republic Act (RA) No. 3022 | Codified |
| Labor Day | Monday nearest May 1 | Act No. 2711 (Or even before) | Codified |
| Independence Day | Monday nearest June 12 | Republic Act (RA) No. 4166 | Codified |
| National Heroes Day | Last Monday of August | Act No. 3827 signed on 1931 | Codified |
| Bonifacio Day | Monday nearest November 30 | Act No. 2946 signed on 1921 | Codified |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Act No. 2711 (Or even before) | Codified |
| Rizal Day | December 30 | Republic Act (RA) No. 229 | Codified |
Nationwide Special Holidays
| Special Holiday | Date | First Legislation or Law | Codified into EO 292 |
| Ninoy Aquino Day | Monday nearest August 21 | Republic Act (RA) No. 9256 | - |
| All Saints Day | November 1 | Codified into EO 292 | Codified |
| Feast of Immaculate Conception of Mary | December 8 | Republic Act (RA) No. 10966 | - |
| Last Day of the Year | December 31 | Codified into EO 292 | Codified |
The President of the Philippines is allowed to include additional Holidays in the list and those who wish to view the last list of Holidays should read the latest proclamation.
List of Holidays that are celebrated due to proclamations
| Holiday | Date | First declared on |
| Chinese New Year | Movable (Expected date mid-January to mid-February) | 2012 |
| EDSA People Power Anniversary | 25 February | 2010 |
| Black Saturday | Movable (Dependent on Roman Catholic Liturgical Calendar) | - |
| All Souls' Day | 2 November | - |
| Christmas Eve | 24 December | - |
| Last Day of the Year | 31 December |
Proclamation declaring Holidays in the Philippines
What is the latest proclamation declaring nationwide Holidays in the Philippines?
The latest Proclamation declaring Holidays in the Philippines is Proclamation No. 986, series of 2020 signed by President Duterte. The proclamation is issued for the Holidays in 2021.
List of Proclamation declaring Nationwide Holidays in the Philippines
| Year | Proclamation No. | Date | Holidays / Remarks | Proclaimed by |
| 2005 | Proclamation No. 896, s. 2005 | |||
| 2005 | Proclamation No. 901, s. 2005 | |||
| 2005 | Proclamation No. 933, s. 2005 | 4 November (Friday) | Eid'l Fitr as Regular Holiday issued on 14th October | Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo |
| 2006 | Proclamation No. 1048, s. 2006 | 15 April (Saturday) | Glorious Saturday as Special Non-Working Day | - |
| 2006 | Proclamation No. 1169, s. 2006 | 1 December (Friday) | 30 November (Bonifacio Day), which is a Tuesday, is declared as a working day in exchange of 1 December as a Regular Holiday | - |
| 2006 | - | 26 December (Tuesday) | Day after Christmas | - |
| 2007 | Proclamation No. 1211, s. 2007 | 7 April (Saturday) | Glorious Saturday as Special Non-Working Day | - |
| 2007 | 11 June (Monday) | Regular Holiday of Independence Day (12 June, Tuesday) is moved to 11 June | - | |
| 2007 | - | 2 November (Friday) | All Saints' Day as Special Non-Working Day | - |
| 2007 | - | 24 December (Monday) | Christmas Eve as SNWD | - |
| 2007 | Proclamation No. 1353, s. 2007 | August 20 (Monday) | August 21 (Ninoy Aquino Day), which is a Tuesday, is declared as a working day in exchange of August 20 as a Special Non-Working Day | - |
| 2007 | - | November 30 (Friday) | Bonifacio Day (RH) | - |
| 2007 | - | December 30 (Friday) | Rizal Day (RH) | - |
| 2008 | Proclamation No. 1463 s. 2008 | Nationwide Holidays for 2008 | - | |
| 2009 | Proclamation No. 1699, s. 2008 | Nationwide Holidays for 2009 | - | |
| 2009 | Proclamation No. 1808, s. 2009 | 27 - 28 November (Friday and Saturday) | Eid'l Adha as a national holiday | |
| 2010 | Proclamation No. 1841, s. 2009 | Nationwide Holidays for 2010 | - | |
| 2011 | Proclamation No. 84, s. 2010 | Nationwide Holidays for 2011 | Pres. Benigno Aquino III | |
| 2012 | Proclamation No. 295, s. 2011 | Nationwide Holidays for 2012 | - | |
| 2013 | Proclamation No. 459, s. 2012 | Nationwide Holidays for 2013 | - | |
| 2014 | Proclamation No. 655, s. 2013 | Nationwide Holidays for 2014 | - | |
| 2015 | Proclamation No. 831, s. 2014 | Nationwide Holidays for 2015 | - | |
| 2016 | Proclamation No. 1105, s. 2015 | Nationwide Holidays for 2016 | - | |
| 2017 | Proclamation No. 50, s. 2016 | Nationwide Holidays for 2017 | Pres. Rodrigo Duterte | |
| 2018 | Proclamation no. 269, s. 2017 | Nationwide Holidays for 2018 | - | |
| 2019 | Proclamation no. 555, s. 2018 | Nationwide Holidays for 2019 | - | |
| 2020 | Proclamation No. 845, s. 2019 | Nationwide Holidays for 2020 RH - 12, SH - 9 | - | |
| 2021 | Proclamation No. 986, series of 2020 | Nationwide Holidays for 2021 RH - 12, SH - 6 | - | |
| - | Proclamation No. 1107, series of 2021 | Amends Nationwide Holidays for 2021 | - |
It is important to note that President Macapagal-Arroyo proclaimed that the date nearest monday (or friday) of a certain Holiday would be declared as the respective Regular Holiday or Special Non-working day. This is a part of the "Holiday Economics" plan of the president.
The "Holiday Economics" has not been observed since the start of President Benigno Aquino Administration.
Vyron earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from De La Salle University – Manila and placed 9th in the 1st Psychometrician Board Exam held on 2014. A Human Resource Practitioner and an aspiring Attorney. He writes and answers questions regarding Human Resource Management for fun.
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