Public Holidays in the Philippines

Governing Law: Official regular public holidays, in the Philippines, are regulated by Executive Order 203 and incorporated in Executive Order 292, and as amended by Republic Act No. 9177. The 2 additional, so called, nationwide special days (November 1 and December 31) are regulated by EO 203.

It is the President's prerogative to declare the next working day a public holiday if the actual public holiday falls on a Sunday. Sometimes this is only done at the last minute.

Public Holidays Economics: In order to boost domestic tourism, the government, in 2002, made it a policy to move public holidays falling on a weekend to Friday or Monday, thus extending the weekend to three days. But, in 2004, Malacañang decided to give its "holiday economics" a rest following complaints from business executives. However, in early 2007, President Arroyo declared 4 non-working public holidays for the year, under Proclamation No. 1211 .

Muslim Holidays: The holidays of Maulid-un-Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad), Lailatul Isra Wal Mi'raj (Nocturnal Journey and Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad), (Hari Raja Haji), are officially observed, pursuant to Presidential Decree 1083 and Civil Service Commission Resolution No. 81-1277, in the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur and in the cities of Cotabato, Iligan, Marawi, Pagadian and Zamboanga, and in such other Muslim Provinces and cities as may be created. Upon proclamation by the President of the Philippines, Muslim holidays may also be officially observed in the provinces and cities.


Eid al Fitr (End of Ramadan, first day of the month of Shawwal) is a national public holiday, created by virtue of Republic Act No. 9177 and signed on November 13, 2002. It was observed as a national public holiday for the first time on December 6, 2002.

The Christmas season in the Philippines started with dawn masses from Dec. 16 and ends on Jan. 6 as Filipinos hold family reunions, exchange gifts and feast on roasted pig and delicacies, such as rice cake and ginger tea.

Since 1986, the government has observed a holiday ceasefire with communist and Muslim rebels as the mainly Roman Catholic country celebrates one of the world's longest yuletide seasons .

Holiday Date	Filipino Name	Celebration Date	English Name	Official Status	Details/Description
January 1	Araw ng Bagong Taon	January 1	New Year's Day	Regular Holiday	First day of the New Year
Varies	Araw ng Bagong Taon ng mga Tsino	Varies	Chinese New Year	Regular day	Based on Lunar Calendar
February 25	Araw ng People Power (Lakas ng Bayan)	February 25	People Power Day	Non-working Holiday (Case-to-case basis), Metro Manila	Commemoration of the 1986 People Power Revolution
Thursday before Easter	Huwebes Santo	Varies	Maundy Thursday	Regular Holiday, Movable date	Commemorates the Last Supper, part of Holy Week celebrations
Friday before Easter	Biyernes Santo/ Mahal na Araw	Varies	Good Friday	Regular Holiday, Movable date	Commemoration of the death of Jesus Christ
Sunday, date varies	Linggo ng Pagkabuhay	—	Easter Sunday	Regular day	Commemoration of the Resurrection of Jesus
April 9	Araw ng Kagitingan	Monday nearest April 9	Bataan and Corregidor Day ("Day of Valor")	Regular Holiday	Commemorates the Bataan Death March
May 1	Araw ng Manggagawa	Monday nearest May 1	Labor Day	Regular Holiday
June 12	Araw ng Kalayaan	Monday nearest June 12	Independence Day	Regular Holiday	Anniversary of the Philippine Declaration of Independence
August 21	Araw ng Kabayanihan ni Ninoy Aquino	Monday nearest August 21	Ninoy Aquino Day	Special Non-working Holiday	Death of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
Last Monday of August	Araw ng mga Bayani	Last Monday of August	National Heroes' Day	Regular Holiday	Commemorates the "Cry of Pugad Lawin" by Filipino revolutionaries called the Katipunan
November 1	Todos los Santos/ Undas/ Araw ng mga Namayapa	November 1	All Saints Day	Special Non-working Holiday	Remembrance of all the dead
November 2		November 2	All Soul's Day	Special Non-working Holiday	Remembrance of all the dead
Varies	Wakas ng Ramadan	Varies	Eidul Fitr (Arabic transliteration: Eid al-Fitr)	Regular Holiday, movable date	Based on Islamic calendar
November 30	Kaarawan ni Bonifacio	Monday nearest November 30	Bonifacio Day	Regular Holiday	Birthdate of Andres Bonifacio
December 25	Araw ng Pasko	December 25	Christmas Day	Regular Holiday	Celebration of Christmas
December 30	Araw ng Kabayanihan ni Dr. Jose Rizal	Monday nearest December 30	Rizal Day	Regular Holiday	Death anniversary of José Rizal
December 31	Bisperas ng Bagong Taon	December 31	New Year's Eve	Special Non-working Holiday	Last Day of the Year (Official Name)

Reference: Wikipedia: Public Holidays in the Philippines