Philippines: Two public holidays coming up this June

Manila: Another long weekend is coming up in the Philippines, with a second holiday set before the  month of June is out.

June 12, a Monday, is the country’s Independence Day, officially a national holiday. Filipino citizens are marking the 125th anniversary of declaration of Philippine Independence.

Spain colonised the Philippines for 333 years, between 1565, when Spain conquered Cebu and Manila — designating the latter as the main seat of its domain in the archipelago — and 1898, when it ended the Philippine Revolution and ceded the Philippines to the United States following the Spanish-American war.

The Asian country follows a two-day weekend system.

Eid Al Adha holiday in June

The second holiday expected in the Philippines this month is Eid Al Adha. The president declares separate holidays for Eid Al Fitr, the end of Ramadan, and for Eid Al Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice.

Both are public holidays in the Philippines, when the entire Filipino Nation is given full opportunity to celebrate with the Muslim world. This year, Eid Al Adha is expected either to fall on Wednesday (June 28, 2023) or the evening of Thursday (June 29, 2023).

The president's declaration is typically announced after the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos informs his office of the dates for Islamic holidays.

Holiday economics

Philippine law (Republic Act 9492, signed in July 2007) rationalises the celebration of holidays with the aim to spur domestic consumption during periods of long holidays.

Known as "holiday economics", the Act has turned the previous informal practice of moving holiday observances as an official government policy.

Proclamation 90, meanwhile, moves some holidays to the nearest Monday or Friday from their original dates that fall on a weekend.

This has resulted in more long weekends in 2023 to boost domestic tourism in the Philippines.

Proposed holiday legislation

A proposed legislation, Senate Bill 1651, seeks to institutionalise declaration of the Monday following a holiday that falls on the weekend as a non-working day.

The bill also proposes that the President declare certain dates as non-working days for the upcoming year, on the first Monday in December.

Some holidays in the Philippines this 2023 fall on weekdays, while some on weekends.

For example, the National Heroes’ Day (August 28, 2023) falls on a Monday, Bonifacio Day (August 30, 2023) falls on a Thursday, while all Saints’ Day (November 1, 2023) falls on a Wednesday. Another holiday, the feast of the Immaculate Concepcion of Mary (December 8, 2023) falls on a Friday.

Those doing their forward planning, are advised to file their leave from work the day between long weekends, or close to the nearest long weekend — in order to make the most out of it.

By law, those who work during a public holiday in the Philippines are mandated to be paid 200 per cent of their daily wage.