2021

The Philippines cuts three holidays from the 2021 calendar

There will be three additional working days this year after President Rodrigo Duterte changed an earlier announcement that had declared certain days in late 2021 as special non-working holidays.

Under Proclamation No. 1107, All Souls’ Day, (Nov. 2, Tuesday), Christmas Eve (Dec. 24, Friday), and last day of the year (Dec. 31, Friday) have been declared as “special working days” in a bid to minimize work disruption and boost economic activity while the country deals with the coronavirus pandemic.

The new proclamation, signed by President Duterte on February 26th 2021, amended the list of holidays and special days for 2021 under Proclamation No. 986 issued in July 2020. In the July proclamation, the three dates were listed as special non-working days.

The change reduces the number of the country’s list of non-working holidays to 16.

“For the country to recover from the adverse economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to encourage economic productivity by, among others, minimizing work disruption and commemorating some special holidays as special (working) days instead,” the proclamation read.

The same proclamation also noted that health protocols implemented by authorities discourage large gatherings and festivities that usually take place during public commemorations.