Your Philippines Public Holidays Calendar and What It Means

Philippine Public Holidays and the Days Everything Stops

The dates you choose determine whether you spend your days island-hopping or stuck in a ferry queue. The Philippines public holidays calendar includes a handful of dates that shut down travel, spike prices, and pack every port and airport. The rest you can largely ignore. These are the holidays that actually disrupt movement, not the ones that merely close a government office.

Which Holidays Shut Down Travel and Sell Out Accommodation

Three holiday periods force the entire country to move at once. Holy Week in March or April is the biggest: the entire nation travels, ferries and buses sell out weeks ahead, and prices spike across all islands. Undas, which covers All Saints' Day on 1 November, packs cemeteries and roads across Luzon and the Visayas. The Christmas season, which runs from September to the end of the year, drives massive internal travel demand that strains the limited inter-island ferry capacity. If you book during any of these windows, you need reservations three to six months ahead, not weeks.

Fixed Date Public Holidays and What Actually Closes

Regular Fixed Holidays

Fixed date holidays in the Philippines follow the Gregorian calendar and fall on the same day every year. On these dates, government offices and banks close, but retail and hospitality remain open. The fixed list includes New Year's Day on 1 January, Araw ng Kagitingan on 9 April, Labor Day on 1 May, Independence Day on 12 June, National Heroes Day on the last Monday of August, Bonifacio Day on 30 November, Christmas Day on 25 December, and Rizal Day on 30 December.

Special Non-Working Days

Special non-working fixed dates include Ninoy Aquino Day on 21 August, All Saints' Day on 1 November, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary on 8 December, and the Last Day of the Year on 31 December. On these special days, government offices close and some corporate offices follow suit, but banks may operate shortened hours. Retail and hospitality stay open. These dates do not cause the travel chaos that Holy Week or Undas produce.

Movable Holidays and the Lunar Calendar Dependency

Movable holidays shift each year because they depend on the lunar calendar, the Islamic calendar, or a proclamation. Holy Week, which includes Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, moves with the lunar calendar and falls in March or April. Eid'l Fitr and Eid'l Adha follow the Islamic lunar calendar and shift annually by roughly 10 to 12 days. The Philippine government also declares Chinese New Year as a special non-working day, and 25 February marks the EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary, which is declared by annual proclamation.

For Holy Week, the dates are published by the Philippine government through the Official Gazette each year. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, known as PAGASA, does not set these dates; the proclamation comes from the Office of the President. Check the official proclamation for the exact dates in the year you plan to travel, because buying ferry tickets without knowing Holy Week means you risk sold-out crossings on the Cebu to Bohol or Batangas to Caticlan corridors.

Holiday	Type	Date or Timing
New Year's Day	Regular holiday, fixed	1 January
Araw ng Kagitingan	Regular holiday, fixed	9 April
Maundy Thursday	Regular holiday, movable	March or April, lunar calendar
Good Friday	Regular holiday, movable	March or April, lunar calendar
Eid'l Fitr	Regular holiday, movable	Islamic lunar calendar
Eid'l Adha	Regular holiday, movable	Islamic lunar calendar
Labor Day	Regular holiday, fixed	1 May
Independence Day	Regular holiday, fixed	12 June
National Heroes Day	Regular holiday, fixed	Last Monday of August
Bonifacio Day	Regular holiday, fixed	30 November
Christmas Day	Regular holiday, fixed	25 December
Rizal Day	Regular holiday, fixed	30 December
Ninoy Aquino Day	Special non-working, fixed	21 August
All Saints' Day (Undas)	Special non-working, fixed	1 November
Feast of the Immaculate Conception	Special non-working, fixed	8 December
Last Day of the Year	Special non-working, fixed	31 December
Chinese New Year	Special non-working, movable	Lunar calendar, annual proclamation
EDSA People Power Anniversary	Special non-working, movable	25 February, annual proclamation

Philippines Holy Week Travel Impact: the Period That Halts the Country

What Shuts Down

Holy Week is the single most disruptive travel period in the Philippines. From Maundy Thursday through Black Saturday, most businesses close, shopping malls shut their doors, and public transport reduces services or suspends routes entirely. Internal travel is booked solid weeks ahead. The entire country moves: families return to their home provinces, and the ferry terminals in Manila, Cebu, and Batangas turn into gridlocked crowds. The outrigger ferry and RORO passenger ferry operators run at full capacity, but boarding, unloading, and weather holds routinely turn a two-hour ferry into a five-hour ordeal during this week.

Booking and Prices

Book accommodation for Holy Week at least three months in advance. Expect rates to spike by 50 to 100 percent above normal. The peak travel period overlaps with the dry season driven by the northeast monsoon, known locally as amihan, which runs from the end of the year to April, so the weather is good but the availability is not. If you arrive during Holy Week without reservations, you will spend the week stuck in Manila or Cebu City. The Moriones Festival on Marinduque runs during Holy Week and fills every room on that island.

Philippines Undas All Saints Day: Cemeteries and Roads Packed

Undas, observed on 1 November as All Saints' Day, is the second most disruptive travel event in the Philippines. Many businesses close or operate half-day. Cemeteries across Luzon and the Visayas fill with families cleaning and visiting graves, and the roads around major cemeteries in Metro Manila, Quezon City, and provincial capitals grind to a halt. Travel hubs experience extreme congestion on 31 October and 1 November, with buses and jeepneys running packed routes to provincial cemeteries.

If you travel during Undas, book ferry and bus tickets at least two weeks ahead. ATMs on small islands often run out of cash during this period, so carry a deep cash buffer of at least PHP 10,000. The Philippine peso is the only currency accepted at most port terminals, and credit card acceptance is common in hotels and malls in urban areas but absent in local markets and rural travel. The holiday pay rule on 1 November means special non-working day rates apply: 130 percent of the daily rate if worked. For the traveller, this means nothing closes completely, but the crowds on the road and at the port make movement slow.

Philippines Christmas Season Dates: September to December Surge

The Longest Holiday Season in Asia

The Philippines Christmas season runs from September to the end of the year, making it the longest holiday period in Asia. The surge in internal travel begins in September and intensifies through the final months, driven by the school break from mid-December to early January and the Christmas break that sees millions of overseas Filipino workers return home. The peak comes between 20 December and 5 January, when flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and Clark International Airport are fully booked and fares double.

What to Book and When

The Giant Lantern Festival in San Fernando, Pampanga, takes place on the Saturday before Christmas Eve and draws large crowds from Metro Manila. Christmas Day on 25 December and Rizal Day on 30 December are regular holidays, while 31 December is a special non-working day. The Last Day of the Year sees many businesses close early. Book internal flights for this period by September. Ferry tickets on the Manila to Cebu and Manila to Iloilo corridors sell out by November. If you plan to island-hop during Christmas week, expect ferry schedules to be aspirational: confirm at the port the day before, because online timetables are not reliable during holiday surges.

Philippines Sinulog Ati-Atihan Dates: Festivals That Fill Cities

January Crowds in the Visayas

Sinulog Festival in Cebu City falls on the third Sunday of January, and Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan, also falls on the third Sunday of January. These two festivals run on the same weekend and draw hundreds of thousands of participants each. Accommodation in Cebu City and Kalibo sells out three to six months ahead. Prices spike across the Visayas as travellers move between the two events. Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City follows on the fourth Sunday of January, extending the crowding through the month.

Sinulog fills every hotel in Cebu City and the surrounding towns of Mactan Island. Book rooms by October. Ati-Atihan packs Kalibo, a town that normally has limited accommodation, so many attendees stay in Boracay and commute via the Caticlan jetty. Expect tricycle and jeepney fares to double during festival weekends. The Philippine peso is the only currency accepted for these local rides; carry small bills.

Other Festivals That Fill Hotels

MassKara Festival in Bacolod City falls on the fourth Sunday nearest 19 October and fills accommodation on Negros Island. Kadayawan Festival in Davao City runs during the third week of August and fills Davao City hotels. Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City runs through February with the main parade on the last weekend, packing the highland city with internal tourists.

Regional Festivals and Local Non-Working Holidays

Every province, city, and municipality in the Philippines observes its own foundation day or fiesta as a local non-working holiday. These dates vary by locality and are not listed on the national holidays calendar. Check the local government unit's website before booking. For example, Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon, falls on 15 May and fills every room in that town. Kadayawan Festival in Davao City in the third week of August fills Davao City and generates heavy internal flight demand from Manila and Cebu.

MassKara Festival in Bacolod City on the fourth Sunday nearest 19 October fills accommodation in Bacolod and nearby Silay City. The festival drives demand on the Manila to Bacolod ferry corridor. Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City in February, with the main parade on the last weekend, fills Baguio and the surrounding Benguet province. For all regional festivals, book accommodation at least two months ahead and carry cash because ATMs in smaller towns can run out.

What Closes, What Stays Open, and the Cash Rule

Opening Hours by Holiday Type

On regular holidays, government offices, banks, and most corporate offices close. Retail and hospitality remain open. On special non-working days, government offices and some corporate offices close, banks may close or operate shortened hours, and retail and hospitality stay open. During Holy Week from Maundy Thursday to Black Saturday, most businesses, shopping malls, and public transport reduce services or suspend operations. Internal travel is heavily booked. On All Saints' Day, many businesses close or operate half-day, and transport hubs are extremely congested.

The Cash Rule

Carry cash because ATMs are scarce on small islands and often offline. PHP 10,000 is the recommended minimum buffer. Credit card acceptance is common in hotels, resorts, and malls in urban areas, but cash is required in local markets, small eateries, and rural travel. The Philippine peso is the currency, and the currency import limit is PHP 50,000 without prior authorization. Foreign currency above USD 10,000 must be declared. Tap water is not potable in most areas, so budget for bottled water. Buy a Globe or Smart SIM at the airport on arrival for PHP 50 to 100, and bring your passport for mandatory SIM registration.

The One Thing That Most Often Goes Wrong

The single most common mistake travellers make with Philippine public holidays is assuming a two-hour ferry means a two-hour journey. During Holy Week, Undas, and the Christmas season, boarding, unloading, and weather holds routinely turn a two-hour crossing into a five-hour ordeal. Confirm ferry schedules at the port the day before, because online timetables are aspirational. Internal flight delays and cancellations are routine, especially with Cebu Pacific and AirAsia, and never book a tight international connection on the same day. The ferry corridors that get hit hardest are Cebu to Bohol, Batangas to Caticlan for Boracay, and Manila to Cebu. If you travel during any of the peak periods, budget an extra day between connections and carry enough cash to cover an unplanned overnight stay.