Here’s a summary of the dates officially declared by the Philippine government as holidays for the year 2012.
Unlike in the past years when “Holiday Economics” was implemented, holidays are not anymore moved to the nearest Monday or Friday when they fall during the middle of the week or during the weekend. As a result, “long weekends” are now a rare occurrence.
Christmas Day, December 25, this year falls on a Tuesday. Christmas Eve, December 24, is a Monday and is not declared a holiday. Will the government give this as a Christmas gift to Filipinos and declare Christmas Eve an official holiday?
They better should, otherwise we can expect a lot of people to file their leaves that day and perhaps extend their vacation until New Year’s Day in 2013.
Update (April 4, 2012): Pres. Noynoy Aquino signed Proclamation No. 361 declaring December 24, 2012 a special non-working holiday. Good to know they have now declared Christmas Eve a holiday.
Is August 20, 2012 a holiday?
The government has already announced that the end of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr or Eid’l Fitr) is considered a national holiday. This, however, is subject to the determination of the approximate date of the Islamic holiday in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar or upon Islamic astronomical calculations. The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) is the agency in charge of informing the Office of the President on which day the holiday shall fall.
So the question is: Has the Eid’l Fitr holiday already been announced? As of August 8, 2012, no official announcement yet from the government has been made.
There is also confusion as to the real date of the end of Ramadan. Online sources are varied, with some saying that the Eid’l Fitr holiday falls on August 18, 2012 (Saturday) while some say it is on August 19, 2012 (Sunday) while other sources say the Ramadan ends on August 20, 2012 (Monday).
Update (August 13, 2012): Malacanang has officially announced that the Eid’l Fitr holiday will be on Monday, August 20, 2012.
Update (October 10, 2012): Malacanang said that October 26 will be a non-working holiday in celebration of the Islamic holiday Eidul Adha, or the Day of Sacrifice.
Official Philippine Holidays – 2012
Based on Proclamation No. 295 signed by Pres. Noynoy Aquino
- January 1, 2012 (Sunday) – New Year’s Day
- January 23, 2012 (Monday) – Chinese New Year
- February 25, 2012 (Saturday) – Anniversary of EDSA Revolution (special holiday)
- April 5, 2012 – Maundy Thursday
- April 6, 2012 – Good Friday
- April 7, 2012 – Black Saturday (special non-working day)
- April 9, 2012 (Monday) – Araw ng Kagitingan
- May 1, 2012 (Tuesday) – Labor Day
- June 12, 2012 (Tuesday) – Independence Day
- August 20, 2012 (Monday) – End of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr)
- August 21, 2012 (Tuesday) – Ninoy Aquino Day
- August 27, 2012 (Monday) – National Heroes Day
- October 26, 2012 (Friday) – Islamic Feast of Sacrifice (Eidul Adha)
- November 1, 2012 (Thursday) – All Saints’ Day (special non-working day)
- November 2, 2012 (Friday) – All Souls’ Day (special non-working day)
- November 30, 2012 (Friday) – Bonifacio Day
- December 24, 2012 (Monday) – Christmas Eve (special non-working holiday)
- December 25, 2012 (Tuesday) – Christmas Day
- December 30, 2012 (Sunday) – Rizal Day
- December 31, 2012 (Monday) – Last Day of the Year (special non-working day)
