The Philippines has declared regular holidays and non-working days for 2020 through Proclamation 845 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
The Labor Code of the Philippines specifies two types of holidays: the ‘regular holiday’ and the ‘special non-working day’. There is a difference in the pay that employers are required to pay between the two type of holidays.
Regular Holidays
- New Year’s Day: Wednesday January 1st 2019
- Araw ng Kagitingan: Thursday April 9th
- Maundy Thursday: Thursday April 9th
- Good Friday: Friday April 10th
- Labor Day: Friday May 1st
- Independence Day: Friday June 12th
- National Heroes Day: Monday August 31st
- Bonifacio Day: Monday November 30th
- Christmas Day: Friday December 25th
- Rizal Day: Wednesday December 30th
Special Non-Working Holidays
- Chinese New Year: Saturday January 25th
- EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary: Tuesday February 25th
- Black Saturday: Saturday April 11th
- Ninoy Aquino Day: Friday August 21st
- All Saints’ Day: Sunday November 1st
- Feast of the Immaculate Conception: Tuesday December 8th
- Last Day of the Year: Thursday December 31st
Additional Special Non-Working Days
- All Soul’s Day: Monday November 2nd
- Christmas Eve: Thursday December 24th
The Proclamation noted that the EDSA People Power Revolution is an important event to commemorate the restoration and ushering of political, social, and economic reforms in the country.
The Holy Week, meanwhile, is noted as one of the most cherished traditions of the predominantly Catholic people in the country.
The All Saints’ and All Souls’ holidays are seen to strengthen family ties by providing more time for them, while Christmas Day commemorative activities will promote domestic tourism.
The Palace has said that it will release a separate proclamation for the national holidays in observance of Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha in accordance with the Islamic calendar or the lunar calendar.
“The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos shall inform the Office of the President the actual dates on which these holidays shall respectively fall,” the proclamation reads.
