Holiday Pay in the Philippines: Regular Holidays vs Special Non-Working Days

By the PH Trend Watch team · Updated October 29, 2026

Short answer: if you work on a regular holiday, you get 200% of your daily rate; if you don't work, you still get 100%. On a special non-working day, you get 130% if you work and, as a rule, nothing if you don't ("no work, no pay"), unless your company policy or contract says otherwise.

Regular holidays

Regular holidays are set by law. They include New Year's Day (1 January), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Araw ng Kagitingan (9 April), Labor Day (1 May), Independence Day (12 June), National Heroes Day (last Monday of August), Bonifacio Day (30 November), Christmas Day (25 December) and Rizal Day (30 December), plus Eid'l Fitr and Eid'l Adha on the dates proclaimed each year.

Did not work: 100% of your daily rate, as long as you were present or on paid leave on the working day just before the holiday.
Worked (first 8 hours): 200% of your daily rate.
Overtime: an extra 30% of the hourly rate for that day.
Worked, and it is also your rest day: 200% plus another 30% of that, or 260%.

Special non-working days

Special non-working days are declared each year by presidential proclamation. They commonly include days such as Ninoy Aquino Day (21 August), All Saints' Day (1 November), the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (8 December), Christmas Eve (24 December) and the last day of the year (31 December), and sometimes others. Always check the proclamation for the year.

Did not work: no pay, unless your company policy, contract or collective agreement grants it.
Worked (first 8 hours): 130% of your daily rate.
Worked, and it is also your rest day: 150% of your daily rate.
Overtime: an extra 30% of the hourly rate for that day.

Special working days

On a special working day, normal rules apply: you are paid your regular rate for work done.

Examples with a ₱600 daily rate

Regular holiday, not worked: ₱600
Regular holiday, worked: ₱1,200
Regular holiday on your rest day, worked: ₱1,560
Special non-working day, worked: ₱780
Special non-working day on your rest day, worked: ₱900

Who is not covered

Holiday pay rules don't apply to everyone — for example, government employees, managerial employees and some small retail and service businesses are treated differently. Check with DOLE if you are unsure.

Want to know what overtime on these days is worth? See our guide to overtime and night differential pay.

General information based on the Labor Code and DOLE advisories. DOLE issues a pay-rules advisory for each holiday; check it for special cases.