Republicoft`iiePhilippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONG RESS
First Regular Session
H.us.BiiiN.7991
Introduced by Representative Midy N. Cua
Lone District, Quirlno
AN ACT RATIONALIZING THE NUMBFRS 0F HOLIDAYS IN THE PHILIPPINES,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SBCTION 26, CHAPTER 7, BOOK I OF HRECUTIVE
ORDER NO. 292, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF 1987,
AS ARENDED
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Philippines has 22 holidays in a year, roughly equivalent to one full month of work. This puts our
country among the top five percent of world economies in terms of the number of holidays. Among
ASEAN,  the  Philippines  has  the  highest number  of holidays,  along  with  Indonesia.  Even  alnong
predominantly Catholic  countries, the Philippines  lies  on the higher end  in terms of the numt)er of
holidays.
All  these  holidays  result  in  lower  productivity  and  cost  some  346  billion  pesos  a  year  in  wages,
largely  borne  by  the  employers  as  they  are  required  to  pay  the  full  daily  wage  during  holidays.
Moreover,  employers  are  required  to  pay  higher compensation  for  employees  who  go  to  work  or
render overtime services during holidays.
AlthouchthelargenumberofholidaysseemtocompensateforthePhilippineshavingleastnumberof
inandated  paid  leaves  among  all  ASEAN  economies,  both  the  private  sector  and  the  government
provide more than 30 days of leave per year. There are also numerous other special leaves provided
under various laws. In addition, work is called off for around two to seven days per year because of
typhoon, flooding, and other calamities.
In  order  productivity,  to  improve  competitiveness  and  overall  this  bill  proposes  to  rationalize  the
number of holidays and reduce the number thereof to  12 da.ys per year, or roughly one day per month,
which is in line with the global median.
In summary, the bill proposes the following: (a) the eight traditional holidays (i.e., New Year's Day,
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday, Labor Day, Independence Day, All Saints' Day, and
ChristmasDay)willberetained;(b)therewillbeoneholidaytocommemorateallheroes(whichshall
be celebrated on Rizal Day); (c) there will be one inter-faith/cultural holiday, to be commemorated at
the  option  of the  employees  based  on their religious  or cultural  preferences;  (d) there  will  be  one
holiday  to  commemorate  the  death  of Ninoy  Aquino  together with  the  anniversay  of the  EDSA
People Power Revolution, which are related  events; (e) there will be one  local holiday,  which  shall
fall  on  a  Monday,  to  be  celebrated  on  a  month  with  no  holiday,  such  as  August,  September,  or


October;  and  (I)  move  holidays  to  Mondays  as  much  as  possible  to  spur  tourism  and  h{>liday
spending.
This   measure   previously   passed   the   third   reading   in   the   18'h   Congress.   It   was   propose!d   by
Representative Junie E. Cua as the principal author thereof.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this measure is earnestly sought.
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if,::.:.;;i;`,,
Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
H.useBillN..7L2|1
Introduced by Representative Midy N. Cua
Lone District, Quirino
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AN ACT MANDATING THE INCLUSION 0F A COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT
COURSEINTHEHIGHEREDUCATIONCURRICULUM0FSTATEUNIVERSITIESAND
COLLEGES AND LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
BeitenactedbytheSenateandHouseOfRepresentativesOfthePhilippinesinCongressassembled:
SFCTION1.Sfeor/ri.//e.-ThisActshallbeknownasthe"HolidayRationalizationActof2023."
SEC.   2.   Dec/orajz.o»   o/ Po/i.ey.   -   [t   is   hereby   declared  the  policy   of  the   State   to   improve
competitivenessandoverallproductivitybyrationalizingthenumberofholidaystobec()mparableto
the global median.
SEC.  3.  Section  26.  Chapter  7,  Book  I  of Executive  Order  No.  292,  otherwise  knoun  as  "The
Administrative Code of 1987", as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Section26.RegularHolidaysandNationwideSpecialDays.-(I)Unlessotherwisemodified
by  law,  e]deF-or-pechlnatien;  the  following  regular  holidays  and  special  days  shall  be
observed in this country:
(A) Regular Holidays
I gia|:`¥F;r:j':S;Ps%ay                                       i^in-+^--
-uary 1
-MovabieTaaT
- Movable date-
I.I--       ''o                                  `L,-,A+-"~-,-J,-:J^~
-'    --1LaborDay   _
- MONDAY NEAREST May I
-MONDAY NEAREST June 12
Independence Da\T+'1u
I  ^^+ C,.`_J^t, A-TIJ\^\,\*|*J+,
I  --      .       -,.
J\T^,.A.`.L^-e^'-.'
-'      . '  I  -.ChristmasDa
- December 25
TD         b    30
RizalDey NATloNAL HEROES DA±C±
-MONDAYNEARES       ecem  er
(8) Nationwide Special Days
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EDSA   PEOPLE   POWER   REVOLUTION
- MONDAY NEAREST FEBRUARY 25
AND NINOY A   UINO DAYBLACKSATURDAY
I ~ MOVABLE_DATEI-MONDAYNEAREST November 1
All Saints DaLastDayofthe YearINTER-FAITH/CULTURE HOLIDAY
- December 3 1
FLEXIBLE DATE
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THERESRALLBEONEINTER-FAITH/CULTUREHOLIDAYFORTHEOBSERVANCE
OF  THE  CHINESE  NEw  TEAR,  EIDur  FiTR,  EIDUL  ADHA,  OR  FEAST  OF  THE
IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION   OFMARY.  ALL  EMPLOYEES  ARE  ENTITLED  TO
CHOOSE   ONE  (1)   SPECIAL   DAYTO   COMMEMORATE   THEIR  CHOSEN   INTER-
FAITH/CULTURE   HOLIDAY   BASED   ON   THEIR   RELIGIOUS   OR   CULTURAL
PREFERENCES.
(2)Thetermslegalorregularholiday'and"specialholiday",asusedinlaws,orders,rulesand
regulations  o  rother  issuances  shall  be  referred  to  as  "regular  holiday"  and  "special  day",
respectively.
SEC.  4.  Joca/  HOJj.da);.  -  Within  six  (6)  months  from  the  effectivity  of this  Act,  the  concerned
Sangguniang Panlalawigan or Sangguniang Panlungsod shau enact ordinances establishing one local
holiday for their respective local  goverment units. This local holiday, which shall fan  on Monday,
shallbecelebratedonamonthwithnoholiday,suchasAugust,September,orOctober.
Copies of said  ordinances  shall  be  submitted  to the  Office  of the  President and  the  Department of
Labor and Employment (DOLE).
SEC.5.Presz.de7zf7.cz/Proc/ama/I.o#.-ThePresidentshallissueaproclamationfixingthespecificdate
of the movable holidays under this Act  for every particular year.  Aside from the holidays provided
underthisAct,nootherproclamation,decree,ororderdeclaringanylocaLspecialnon-workingdayfor
a particular date, group, or place may be issued.
SEC.6.I"p/emettj!.ng"esa#dj}egr/cr}i.ojts.-TheDepartmentofLaborandEmployment(DOLE)
shallpromulgatetherulesandregulationstoimplementtheprovisionsofthisActwithinninety(90)
days from its effectivity.
SEC.7.jzepea/I.%gCJCI#Se.-Alllaws,decrees,orders,andproclamationsdeclaringnationalorlocal
holidaysareherebyrepealed.Allotherlaws,decrees,executiveorders,rulesandregulationsorparts
thereof,whichareinconsistentwiththisAct,areherebyrepealed,amendedormodifiedaccordingly.
SEC.  6.  E#ecf!.vjty.  -  This  Act  shall  take  effect  immediately  upon  its  publication  in  the  O#cjcl/
Gc7ze//e or in a newspaper of g-eneral circulation.
Approved,
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