EXPLAINER: Regular vs. Special Non-Working Holidays

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CEBU CITY, Philippines — It cannot be denied that we Filipinos love celebrating any sort of occasion. It’s also evident in the list of public holidays that we have every year.

Aside from nationwide public holidays, there are also regional holidays that cover specific areas only.

For example, here in Cebu, the dates August 6 and September 9 are considered holidays to commemorate the charter day of Cebu province and the birth anniversary of former President Sergio Osmeña Jr., respectively.

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Even if we have an average of 20 holidays annually, there are cases when Filipinos opt to work during holidays for various reasons. But primarily, for the extra pay that goes along with it.

Sometimes, it might get confusing as to how much additional incentive an employee can get when they opt to report to duty on holidays.

In this explainer, we will try to simplify the holiday scheme for workers in the Philippines.

Types of holidays 

There are two types of holidays in the Philippines, according to the country’s Labor Code. These are the regular holidays, and there are the special holidays.

Regular holidays

Regular holidays include Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Labor Day, Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), to name a few.

Most regular holidays often come in fixed dates. Examples of non-fixed regular holidays include Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

The most obvious trait that set regular holidays apart from other holidays is that they often come in fixed dates.

Special holidays

Special holidays, on the other hand, may vary. This covers special non-working days and special working days.

While special working days are considered as regular working days, employees who work during special non-working days are entitled to receive additional pay.

Computation for holidays

When workers report for duty on regular holidays, the law mandates their employers to pay them 200 percent of their salary for that day.

For special non-working holidays, employees can get an additional 30 percent. For those who opt to spend the regular holidays away from work, they still get paid.

But in special non-working holidays, the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy applies.

“Unless there is a favorable company policy, practice, or Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) granting payment on a Special Day,” the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Visayas (RTWPB-7).

Below is a simplified way of determining whether you get additional incentives when working during Holidays.