The Philippines and its Types of Public Holidays

Many international businesses choose to outsource work to Philippine providers. However, since there are differences in holidays among various countries, confusion may arise if clients and providers don’t align.

Here at StraightArrow, we have two different operating setups when it comes to holidays:

• Shared support teams, which help clients execute creative and digital marketing work on a project basis, follow Philippine holidays.
• Dedicated support teams, which operate as extension teams for clients, follow their respective clients’ holidays.

If your company works with team members under the shared support model, you need to be aware of the two types of public holidays in the Philippines: regular holidays and special non-working holidays. Since compensation is different between the two, it’s important to know their differences and to know which type the holiday falls under.

The Difference Between Regular and Special Non-Working Holidays

During regular holidays, members of the workforce are on break but are entitled to get their compensation. If they are required to work, employees are to receive 200% of their regular pay for the day. This is what we often call “double pay.”

On special non-working holidays, the workforce will not receive any payment unless there is a favorable company policy. If the employee reports for work, they will be paid an additional 30% of their regular pay, which adds up to 130% for the day.

Public Holidays in the Philippines in 2024

Kindly note that while some Philippine holidays have fixed dates, others are determined by the calendar (e.g., National Heroes’ Day is observed on the last Monday of August). Therefore, the Philippines has some holidays whose dates change every year.

• January 1 — Monday — New Year's Day
• February 9 — Saturday — Additional Special Non-Working Day*
• February 10 — Saturday — Lunar New Year*
• March 28 — Thursday — Maundy Thursday
• March 29 — Friday — Good Friday
• March 30 — Saturday — Black Saturday*
• April 9 — Tuesday — Day of Valor
• May 1 — Tuesday — Labor Day
• June 12  — Tuesday — Independence Day
• August 21 — Monday — Ninoy Aquino Day*
• August 26 (Last Monday of August) — Monday — National Heroes’ Day
• November 1 — Friday — All Saints' Day*
• November 2 — Saturday — All Soul's Day, Additional Special Non-Working Day*
• November 30 — Saturday — Bonifacio Day
• December 8 — Sunday — Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary*
• December 24 — Tuesday — Christmas Eve, Additional Special Non-Working Day*
• December 25 — Wednesday — Christmas Day
• December 30 — Monday — Rizal Day
• December 31 — Tuesday — New Year's Eve, Last Day of the Year*

*Special non-working holiday

The Philippines also observes Islamic holidays: Eid al-Fitr (The End of Ramadan) and Eid al-Adha (The Feast of Sacrifice). The Philippine government issues separate proclamations to declare these Islamic holidays after the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) recommends the dates of these celebrations.

There are other pay rules covering overtime, work during rest days, and more. We recommend that you reach out and check with your outsourcing partner on these policies.

Being located in two different geographical locations inevitably entails many differences—including holidays. To avoid the disruption of day-to-day operations, clients and providers must be transparent with each other about their schedules and holidays to give ample time for planning.

Find out more about outsourcing and how your business can benefit from it. Schedule a free, no-obligation discovery call with us to learn more.

The content of this blog is updated based on relevant dates and information as necessary.

Originally posted by Cza Año on December 31, 2015.

Updated by Jade Albert on January 5, 2024.