List of Philippine Holidays for 2016

I'm back!

I've been gone for a long time from blogging, but my desire to continue sharing information still burns bright! 

So here's a nice infographic made by Rappler summarizing the list of holidays for the incoming year:

I always love the official infographics released by the government, but I haven't found the official one for 2016 yet.

Not included in the list, though are the 2 nationwide muslim holidays. As of this time, we may expect them around these dates:

Eid'l Fit'r - July 8, 2016

Eid'l Ad'ha - September 13, 2016

Time to start planning those vacation leaves! There's not as many long weekends this coming year, but here's a run-down of all of them, assuming your rest day is on a Sunday and no leaves are filed:

For those with 5 day work week

1. February 6 - 8 (3 days) Chinese New Year

2. March 24 - 27 (4 days) Holy Week

3. July 8 - 10 (3 days) Eid'l Fit'r (tentative)

4. August 27 - 29 (3 days) National Heroes Day

5. October 29 - November 1 (4 days) All Saint's Day

6. December 30 - January 1 (3 days) New Year

For those with 6 day work week

1. February 7 - 8 (2 days) Chinese New Year 

2. March 24 - 27 (4 days) Holy Week

3. April 9 - 10 (2 days) Araw ng Kagitingan

4. August 28 - 29 (2 days) National Heroes Day

5. October 30 - November 1 (3 days) All Saint's Day

6. December 24 - 25 (2 days) Christmas Day
7. December 30 - January 1 (3 days) New Year

August 9, 2013 is a Regular Holiday to Celebrate the Muslim Holiday Eid'l Fit'r

Malacañang has released the official proclamation declaring August 9, 2013 as a regular non-working holiday throughout the country.

This means that work rendered on this day will mean an additional 100% day's wage for 8 hours of work. All employees who have regular working schedules on this day are not required to report for work to celebrate the holiday, but will still be paid their basic daily rate.

You may download a copy of the proclamation at these websites:
PMAP website - http://pmap.org.ph/content/research/circular-2013-016/
Philippine's Official Gazette - http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/01/proclamation-no-629-s-2013/

The full text of the proclamation is as follows:

MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

PROCLAMATION NO. 629

DECLARING FRIDAY, 9 AUGUST 2013, AS A REGULAR HOLIDAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN OBSERVANCE OFEID’L FITR (FEAST OF RAMADHAN)

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9177 declared Eid’l Fitr (Feast of Ramadhan) as a regular holiday throughout the country;

WHEREAS, Eid’l Fitr is celebrated by the Muslim World for three (3) days after the end of the month of fasting;

WHEREAS, to promote cultural understanding and integration, the entire Filipino nation should have the full opportunity to join their Muslim brothers and sisters in the observance and celebration of Eid’l Fitr; and

WHEREAS, in order to bring the religious and cultural significance of the Eid’l Fitr to the fore of national consciousness, it is necessary to declare Friday, 9 August 2013, as a regular holiday throughout the country.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare Friday, 9 August 2013, as a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Eid’l Fitr (Feast of Ramadhan). The Eid’l Fitr Prayer shall be performed depending on the result of the moon-sighting activity on 7 August 2013.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 1st day of August, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Thirteen.

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

By the President:
(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.Executive Secretary

Official Proclamation for Eid'l Fit'r 2012 Released

The official proclamation of August 20, 2012 as a regular non-working holiday across the Philippines in celebration of the muslim holiday Eid'l Fit'r has been released by the Palace. Below is a transcription of the actual proclamation:

Proclamation No. 455, s. 2012

MALACAÑAN PALACEMANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

PROCLAMATION NO. 455

DECLARING MONDAY, 20 AUGUST 2012, AS A REGULAR HOLIDAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN OBSERVANCE OF EID’L FITR (FEAST OF RAMADHAN)

WHEREAS, Republic Act No 9177 declared Eid’l Fitr (Feast of Ramadhan) as a regular holiday throughout the country;

WHEREAS, Eid’l Fitr is celebrated by the Muslim World for three (3) days after the end of the month of fasting;

WHEREAS, to promote cultural understanding and integration, the entire Filipino nation should have the full opportunity to join their Muslim brothers and sisters in the observance and celebration of Eid’l Fitr; and

WHEREAS, in order to bring the religious and cultural significance of the Eid’l Fitr to the fore of national consciousness, it is necessary to declare Monday, 20 August 2012, as a regular holiday throughout the country.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare Monday. 20 August 2012, as a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Eid’l Fitr (Feast of Ramadhan).

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 13th day of August, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twelve.

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

By the President:
(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary

source: http://www.gov.ph/2012/08/13/proclamation-no-455-s-2012/

Philippine Holidays for 2012

The official list of Philippine holidays have been released:

Regular Holidays

• January 1 - New Year's Day


• April 5 - Maundy Thursday


• April 6 - Good Friday


• April 9 - Araw ng Kagitingan


• May 1 - Labor Day


• June 12 - Independence Day


• August 27 - National Heroes Day


• November 30 - Bonifacio Day


• December 25 - Christmas Day


• December 30 - Rizal Day

Special Holidays

• January 23 - Chinese New Year


• August 21 - Ninoy Aquino Day


• November 1 - All Saints Day


• November 2 - Additional Special Non-working Day


• December 31 - Last Day of the Year


• TBA - Eid'l Adha (according to Muslim Calendar)

School Only Holidays

• February 25 - EDSA Revolution Anniversary

Not mentioned in the proclamation are the following holidays, which are traditionally declared by the government as additional holidays during the course of the year. These are the additional proclamations that may be expected in the coming year:

• Black Saturday - April 7


• Eid'l Fit'r - as declared by OMA

Employees who work on a regular holiday are entitled to 200% daily wage pay, and those who work on Special holidays are entitled to 130% daily wage pay. For minimum wage workers, this would be equivalent to Php808.00 for Regular Holidays and PHp525.20 for Special Holidays.

However, daily-paid workers who are not required to work on these days are not entitled to any wages for this day.

source: PROC-0295 - 2012 Philippine Holidays for the Year 2012

November 7, 2011 is a Regular Holiday in Celebration of Eid'l Adha

MALACAÑAN PALACE

MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

PROCLAMATION NO. 276

DECLARING MONDAY, 7 NOVEMBER 2011, AS A REGULAR HOLIDAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, IN OBSERVANCE OF EIDUL ADHA (FEAST OF SACRIFICE)

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9849 provides that Eidul Adha shall be celebrated as a regular holiday;

WHEREAS, Eidul Adha is one of the two greatest feasts of Islam;

WHEREAS, the date of the festival based on the declaration made by Saudi Arabia’s highest religious body is on 6 November 2011;

WHEREAS, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) recommended that the observance of Eidul Adha be on 7 November 2011 and the Eidul Adha prayer held on 6 November 2011;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare Monday, 7 November 2011, as a regular holiday throughout the country, in observance of Eidul Adha (Feast of Sacrifice).

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 20th day of October, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eleven.

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

By the President

(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA JR.

Executive Secretary

 

source: http://www.gov.ph/2011/10/20/proclamation-no-276-s-2011/

October 31, 2011 is a Special Non-Working Holiday

source: http://www.gov.ph/2011/10/10/proclamation-no-265-s-2011/

MALACAÑAN PALACE

MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

PROCLAMATION NO. 265

DECLARING MONDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2011, AS A SPECIAL (NON-WORKING) DAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY

WHEREAS, Proclamation No. 84, dated 20 December 2010, declared Tuesday, 1 November 2011, as a special (non-working) day;

WHEREAS, Monday, 31 October 2011, falling between Sunday and Tuesday, 1 November 2011 (All Saints Day), has been traditionally declared a special (non-working) day throughout the country;

WHEREAS, to give full opportunity to our people to properly observe the day with all its religious fervor which invariably requires them to travel to and from different regions of the country. Monday, 31 October 2011, may be declared as a special (non-working) day without detriment to public interest.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare Monday, 31 October 2011, as a special (non-working) day throughout the country.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 10^th day of October, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eleven.

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

By the President:

(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA JR,

Executive Secretary

Long Holiday Weekend In August

Inquirer reports that Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte has revealed in a radio interview that The National Heroes Day holiday has been moved to August 29, and that Eid'l Fit'r has been confirmed as an official holiday on August 30.

This would mark one of the very few long weekends for the year 2011 which will affect those who have 6-day work weeks. For the month of August, however, a second long holiday is available of the weekend of August 19 for those working in Quezon City to celebrate Quezon City day.

 

New Holiday for 2011 & Php22 COLA granted to all minimum wage workers

HR Online has been down for the past few months due to technical problems, but we are now back up and running with two of the hottest news for us working citizens!

First off is the new holiday. Originally a regional holiday for the city of Calamba, the birthday of national hero, Jose Rizal, has been turned into a nationwide holiday and moved to June 20, 2011.  This adds one long weekend the the sparse count of long weekends for the year - with most of the holidays falling on sundays.

June is a great time to catch some last minute summer fun - right before the monsoon season hits the country. A copy of the proclamation can be found at the Official Gazette, the Philippine Government's official website.

The second news is the approved Php22 cost of living allowance (COLA) granted to all minimum wage workers. There are many mixed reactions regarding this announcement, with the trade unions mostly contesting the price and mechanics of the granted allowance.  DOLE reasoned out that this adjustment was put under COLA because it is the win-win situation for both employees and employers - granting a monetary increase to the minimum wage without adding extra burden to the financial constraints of employers. Whether or not the Php22 daily increase can help the employed sector deal with rising inflation prices is the point that trade unions are contesting the the moment.

For those who are not aware,  increasing the minimum wage adds to the financial burdens of employers because it is not only the salaries that they pay the employees that get changed. With increases in minimum wage, an employee's gross monthly wages also changes and may put them in higher salary brackets for their government benefits (SSS, philhealth and PAG-IBIG). In addition, higher wages also means higher payouts for companies who grant paid or cash-convertible leaves, 13th month pay and retirement benefits.

Only those who are minimum wage earners are entitled to receive the additional Php22 allowance. However, there is no rule restricting companies from granting the same benefit to their above-minimum wage workers. The allowance in non-taxable and amounts to Php478 - 573 additional income per month for employees who work 5-6 days a week.

The new minimum wage table can be found at the National Wage and Productivity Commission (NWPC) website.

Holidays for 2011

I'm several weeks late in posting this, but any employee must always keep tabs of what the holidays are. This enables you to plan vacation leaves better, which goes hand in hand with time management. Also, for those who cannot control their work days, it will keep you aware of your holiday pay benefits.

A. Regular Holidays

New Year’s Day – January 1 (Saturday)

Araw ng Kagitingan – April 9 (Saturday)

Maundy Thursday – April 21

Good Friday – April 22

Labor Day – May 1 (Sunday)

Independence Day – June 12 (Sunday)

National Heroes Day – August 29 (Last Monday of August)

Bonifacio Day – November 30 (Wednesday)

Christmas Day – December 25 (Sunday)

Rizal Day – December 30 (Friday)

B. Special (Non-Working) Days

Ninoy Aquino Day – August 21 (Sunday)

All Saints Day – November 1 (Tuesday)

Last Day of the Year – December 31 (Saturday)

C. Special Holiday (for all schools)

EDSA Revolution Anniversary – February 25 (Friday)

Same as in the previous years, the official dates for the muslim holidays Eid'l Fit'r and Eid'l Adha will be announced after The Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA) has forwarded the official dates for these holidays t the Office of the President. Likewise, we will have to wait to determine if these dates will be considered as working holidays for Metro Manila and non-muslim sectors, or as non-working holidays as done in 2010.

Eid'l Adha proclaimed as a National Holiday for 2010

The Office on Muslima Affairs (OMA) has recommended to the Office of the President that Eid'l Adha be celebrated on November 16, 2010.

The President has acknowledged this through the release of Proclamation No. 60 - declaring Eid'l Adha as a national holiday for the year 2010. As a national holiday, the date will be treated as a regular holiday across the country.  DOLE mandates the following treatment for regular holidays:

1. If it is an employee's regular workday
   
   
   
   • If unworked - 100%
   
   
   • If worked
     
     
     
     • 1st 8 hours - 200%
     
     
     • excess of 8 hours - plus 30% of hourly rate on said day
     
     
     
     
   
   
   
   


2. If it is an employee's rest day
   
   
   
   • If unworked - 100%
   
   
   • If worked
     
     
     
     • 1st 8 hours - plus 30% of 200%
     
     
     • excess of 8 hours - plus 30% of hourly rate on said day
     
     
     
     
   
   
   
   

proclamation: http://www.gov.ph/2010/11/09/proclamation-no-60-2/

Palace: November 2 a regular working day

Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/star/20101026/tph-palace-november-a-regular-working-da-541dfb4.html

MANILA, Philippines – November 2 will be a regular working day, according to a Malacañang official.

Speaking to reporters this morning at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2, Executive Secretary Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa said President Aquino has not signed any proclamation declaring November 2 as a special non-working holiday.

Ochoa was at the NAIA to send Mr. Aquino off to Vietnam where he is set to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. - (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

October 25 Barangay Elections Is a Special Non-working Holiday

source: GMA News

A Palace official said October 25, the day of the nationwide barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, has been declared a non-working holiday under Proclamation Number 48.

Secretary Ricky Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning made the announcement on Thursday at the La Consolacion College in Manila, where President Benigno Aquino III delivered a report on his first 100 days in office.

"It is imperative that the people be given the fullest opportunity to participate in the said elections and exercise their right to vote," Proclamation No. 48 read.

Proclamation No. 48 was signed October 6 by Executive Secretary Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa Jr.

On October 25, voters will elect:

one barangay chairman;

one SK chairman;

seven Sangguniang Barangay members, and

seven SK members.

Around 672,400 elective posts in 42,025 barangays are expected to be filled after the local polls.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier reminded voters that a total of 4,433 outgoing barangay captains are already on their third or fourth terms, and are thus barred from vying for the same post in the upcoming elections.

The filing of certificates of candidacy started Friday last week and will go on until October 13.

Security during the elections

On September 24, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines re-activated the task force that will ensure a peaceful and orderly elections.

Called Task Force Honest, Orderly, and Peaceful Elections (Task Force HOPE-2010 Bravo), the joint task force will focus on about 2,300 areas on their watchlist and some 107 private armed groups in the country.

A natioinwide gunban took effect on September 25 and will last until November 10, or 15 days after the synchronized barangay and SK elections.

The ban includes the automatic suspension of all permit to carry firearms outside of residences.

Only authorized law enforcemers on duty and in proper police uniform will be allowed to carry firearms. – With Jam Sisante, VVP, GMANews.TV

August 23 Holiday Moved Back to August 21

GMA News reports that the holiday economics affecting Ninoy Aquino Day has been removed, effectively returning the holiday back to its original date of August 21.

The new list for August 2010 holidays is as follows:

• August 19 - Quezon City Day


• August 21 - Ninoy Aquino Day


• August 30 - National Heroes Day

Below is the article from GMA News:

Aug. 23 declared regular working day

08/11/2010 | 07:12 PM

August 23, a Monday, will be a regular working day, while the death anniversary of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. on August 21, a Saturday, will be a non-working holiday.

This was the final decision of President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, contained in a still-unnumbered proclamation as announced by the Palace on Wednesday night.

“The purpose for observing Ninoy Aquino Day on Aug. 21 instead of Aug. 23 is to avoid the imposition of unnecessary financial burden upon the employers, and ensure the continuity of government, business, and commercial transactions, promote productivity while at the same time preserve the solemnity of the observance (of the holiday)," said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda in a statement.

Aquino’s proclamation in effect junked the “holiday economics" policy of his predecessor while upholding the public observance of his father’s death anniversary on its actual date of occurrence.

The death anniversary of Ninoy, who was gunned down on Aug. 21, 1983 at the then Manila International Airport upon his return from exile, has long been considered a holiday.

"The president is empowered under RA No. 9492 to modify holidays by law, order or proclamation," Lacierda said.

Malacañang however explained that the President took time to reach a final decision because he wanted to avoid undue emphasis on his father, amid public expectation for him to make an early announcement so that workers and students could plan for a possible long weekend.

Under her administration, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo advocated “holiday economics," which meant that if a non-working holiday fell on or near a weekend, the non-work aspect was moved to the nearest Monday, resulting in longer weekends.—Jam Sisante/JV, GMANews.TV

June 30 Proclamation has been released

News of June 30, 2010 being declared as a special non-working holiday has been reported multiple times through various news networks. However, the official proclamation has only been released today.

Outgoing President GMA aims to enable all citizens to witness the ceremonies  and official baton passing of the old government to its new standard bearers, president elect Noynoy Aquino and his VP Jejomar Binay. Details of the ceremony's program has been released to the public, which include changes in the traditional ceremony program by the addition of an oath-taking session for the citizens of the Philippines at the end of the program.

June 30 is a special non-working holiday

In honor of the turn-over of the presidency to the new president-elect, June 30 has been declared as a special non-working holiday.

For employees in the private sector, this would mean that they get a free day off. If required to work, employees get an additional 30% to their salary for that day.

Calls to Malacanang, however, state that this is still only in the proposal stages, and have yet to be signed by the President.

Labor day celebration moved to May 3, 2010

The government has released a new announcement moving the celebration of labor day from May 1, 2010 (Saturday) to May 3, 2010 (Monday). This is in accordance with the holiday economics scheme being used by the government.

News has been released on both Inquirer.net and GMAnews. I have attached a copy of the proclamation here - Proc. 2043 - May 3 Labor Day. The proclamation can also be accessed at http://www.news.ops.gov.ph/proc2043.htm

Gov’t issues pay rules for holidays on Holy Week, Araw ng Kagitingan

source: http://www.dole.gov.ph/secondpage.php?id=1160

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) today said that April 1 (Maundy Thursday) and 2 (Good Friday) are regular holidays throughout the nation, while April 3 (Black Saturday), 2010 is a nationwide special non-working day.

The Labor and Employment Chief said that Presidential Proclamation No. 1841, issued earlier on July 21, 2009, had affirmed the regular holidays on April 1 and 2, and April 9, 2010. At the same time, Proclamation No. 2029, by authority of the President signed by Executive Secretary Leandro R. Mendoza on March 24, 2010, declared Saturday, April 3, 2010, which falls between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, as a special (non-working) day throughout the country, citing that, “our people must be given the full and uninterrupted opportunity to ponder on the significance of the Holy Week and to properly observe its traditions… without prejudice to public interest.”

Roque thus advised the country's employers in the private sector on the pay rules to be applied during the said nationwide regular and special non-working holidays as follows:

1.       For the regular holidays on April 1 (Maundy Thursday), April 2 (Good Friday), and April 9 (Araw ng Kagitingan), 2010:

A.      If the holiday falls on an employee’s regular workday:

-  If worked, [the employee] is entitled to 200% of his [or her] basic wage for the first eight (8) hours and, for work in excess of the 8 hours, to an additional 30% of his or her hourly rate on the said day.

-  If unworked, the employee is entitled to 100% of his or her regular daily rate, provided he she was present or was on leave with pay on the workday immediately preceding the holiday.

B.      If the day is the employee’s rest day:

-  If worked, the employee is entitled, for the first 8 hours, to 200% of his or her daily rate plus 30% and, for work in excess of 8 hours, plus 30% of his or her hourly rate on the said day.

-  If unworked, the employee is entitled to 100% of his or her regular daily rate, provided he or she was present or was on leave with pay on the workday immediately preceding the holiday.

C.      Where the day immediately preceding the holiday is a non-work day in the establishment or the

scheduled rest day of the employee, he or she shall not be deemed on leave of absence on that day, in which case he or she shall be entitled to the holiday pay.

2. For the special non-working day on April 3, 2010 (Black Saturday):

-  If worked, the employee is entitled to 130% of his [or her] daily rate for the first 8 hours, and to an additional 30% of his or her hourly rate on the said day for work performed in excess of 8 hours.

-  If unworked, he or she is not entitled to any payment, unless there is a favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment for special days even if not worked.

- If worked and falling on the employee’s rest day, the employee is entitled for the first 8 hours to150% of his or her regular daily rate, and for work performed in excess of 8 hours, plus 30% of his or her hourly rate on the said day.

Any clarifications regarding the holiday pay rules may be made with the DOLE Call Center at tel. no. 527-8000.

Eid'l Adha holiday effective only for ARMM

Malacanang has revised its previous declaration and has released a new proclamation regarding the Eid'l Adha holidays.

The new proclamation confirms that Eid'l Adha is to be celebrated on November 27 and 28. However, these holidays will now be considered as regional holidays and will be restricted to ARMM for implementation.

Attached is a scan of the fax copy of the new Proclamation No. 1808-A (Proc1808-A0001)

Edit:

DOLE has now updated its website and has announced Proclamation No. 1808-A.

Government Discrimination?

While the country was enjoying yesterday's last-minute holiday declaration, the HR world was abuzz trying to decipher the holiday declaration exemptions.

For this holiday alone, the BPO and electronics sector was exempted from taking the holiday. However, employers in these two industries were still required to pay their employees the additional 30% holiday premium.

Several employers with international clients have taken to questioning the holiday declarations of the government. While the holidays definitely benefit the worker, how much does it really benefit the employers?

For those who would like to join in the dissection, the proclamation can now be found at this link, and is also attached here: PROC1874B - September 7, 2009 Special Holiday

Sept 5 and 21 declared as holidays

September 5 has been declared as a special non-working holiday by Malacañang, in honor of the funeral of Iglesia ni Cristo Executive Minister Erano "Ka Erdy" Manalo.

September 21 has also been officially declared as the official Eid'l Fit'r holiday date for the Philippines, following recommendations from the Office on Muslim Affairs.