Philippine Holidays: A Planning Guide for US Companies With Filipino Teams

If you work with an assistant or team in the Philippines, it helps to understand the Philippine holiday calendar. Some holidays carry deep national and religious significance, and the way they're set each year differs from the US system. Planning ahead avoids surprises and lets you agree coverage fairly.

This guide gives an overview. Holiday dates are set by the Philippine government each year, so always check the current year's official proclamation.

How Philippine holidays are set

Philippine holidays are established by law and confirmed annually by Presidential Proclamation, usually issued in advance of the year. The proclamation lists:

• Regular holidays, and
• Special (non-working) days, plus sometimes special working days.

Some holidays have fixed dates; others move. Holy Week holidays follow the Christian liturgical calendar, and the Islamic holidays Eid'l Fitr and Eid'l Adha are typically declared closer to the date based on the Islamic calendar. The government also occasionally moves holidays to create long weekends, or declares additional special days.

For Filipino workers, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issues guidance on pay rules for work on holidays.

Regular holidays (commonly observed)

Regular holidays typically include:

• New Year's Day — January 1
• Maundy Thursday — Thursday before Easter (moves)
• Good Friday — Friday before Easter (moves)
• Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) — April 9
• Labor Day — May 1
• Independence Day — June 12
• National Heroes Day — last Monday of August
• Bonifacio Day — November 30
• Christmas Day — December 25
• Rizal Day — December 30
• Eid'l Fitr — date varies
• Eid'l Adha — date varies

Special non-working days (commonly declared)

These often include:

• Chinese New Year — date varies
• Black Saturday — day before Easter
• Ninoy Aquino Day — August 21
• All Saints' Day — November 1 (and sometimes All Souls' Day, November 2, or the day before All Saints')
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception — December 8
• Christmas Eve — December 24
• New Year's Eve — December 31
• EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary — February 25 (treatment has varied by year)

Local holidays can also apply in specific cities and provinces.

Seasons to know about

Holy Week

Holy Week (Semana Santa), ending on Easter Sunday, is one of the most significant periods in the Philippine calendar for the country's large Catholic population. Many people travel home to their provinces, and Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are regular holidays.

The Christmas season

The Philippines is known for a long Christmas season, with celebrations often starting in September — the "-ber months" — and continuing into early January. December includes several holidays and special days. Family gatherings are important, and many workers travel.

Undas (All Saints' and All Souls' Days)

At the start of November, many Filipinos visit family graves, often traveling to their home provinces.

Planning coverage with a US client

US clients usually want their assistant working US business days. That's compatible with respect for Philippine holidays — it just needs to be agreed in advance. Approaches include:

1. Agree the year's calendar up front. When the proclamation comes out, decide together which Philippine holidays the assistant will take, which US holidays the client observes, and how any differences are handled.
2. Plan for the big periods. Holy Week and late December are the most likely times for leave requests. Discuss them early.
3. Pre-schedule work. Before a holiday, the assistant can front-load tasks — expense reports, scheduling, recurring reports.
4. Have a coverage plan. For critical daily tasks, agree who covers. See coverage and backup planning.
5. Respect pay rules. Philippine labor rules on holiday pay apply to employees; contractor arrangements differ. Ask your provider how they handle holiday arrangements fairly.

At ExecWing, we discuss holiday coverage during onboarding so expectations are clear for both client and assistant.

Weather and other disruptions

The Philippines experiences a typhoon season, generally associated with the second half of the year, and the government's weather agency PAGASA issues tropical cyclone warnings. Severe weather can cause power or internet disruptions and occasionally government work suspensions. Professional remote workers commonly keep backup internet and power options; ask about your assistant's setup.

The US side

Don't forget US holidays your company observes — your assistant should have them on the calendar too, since your business may be closed or quiet. A combined calendar shared at the start of the year avoids confusion.

A simple planning checklist

• [ ] When the annual proclamation is issued, create a combined US–Philippines holiday calendar
• [ ] Agree which days the assistant works and which they take
• [ ] Discuss Holy Week and December early
• [ ] Set up front-loading and coverage for critical tasks
• [ ] Note typhoon season; confirm backup internet and power
• [ ] Revisit when the government announces changes or additional days

Frequently asked questions

Will my assistant take all Philippine holidays off? It depends on the arrangement agreed with your provider. Many US clients ask assistants to work US business days, with specific holidays agreed in advance.

Why do some holiday dates change year to year? Holy Week follows Easter, Islamic holidays follow the lunar calendar and the government can move or add days by proclamation.

How far in advance are holidays announced? The main annual proclamation is usually issued ahead of the year; some days are declared closer to the date.

A sample combined calendar

Illustrative structure: Create one shared calendar with three color-coded event types: US holidays your company observes, Philippine holidays your assistant takes under your agreement, and Philippine holidays your assistant works. Add a reminder two weeks before each to confirm coverage. For movable dates — Holy Week and the Eid holidays — add a placeholder and update it once the official date is confirmed. Review the calendar together in the first check-in of each quarter.

Quick answers

Do Philippine holidays affect pricing? No. ExecWing's monthly plan prices are flat; holiday arrangements are agreed during onboarding.

Where can I find the official list? The Official Gazette of the Philippine government publishes proclamations, and DOLE issues related guidance on pay rules.

Key takeaways

• Holidays are confirmed each year by Presidential Proclamation.
• Holy Week and the Eid holidays move from year to year.
• Holy Week, Undas and December are the periods to plan for first.
• Agree a combined US–Philippine calendar early in the year.

The bottom line

Philippine holidays include regular holidays and special non-working days set each year by proclamation, with major seasons around Holy Week, Undas and Christmas. Agree a combined calendar early, plan for the big periods and build coverage for critical tasks. See US–Philippines time zones and why the Philippines.

As soon as the year's proclamation is published, block an hour with your assistant to build the combined calendar together and agree coverage for the busiest periods.