Duterte makes All Souls Day, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve special working days

President Rodrigo Duterte declares All Souls Day (November 2), Christmas Eve (December 24), and New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) Special working days.

Malacañang explained that its purpose is to reduce the number of days off to help boost the country’s economy.

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“For the country to recover from the adverse economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to encourage economic productivity by, among others, minimizing work disruption and commemorating some special holidays as special working days instead,” Proclamation No. 1107 read.

All other provisions of Proclamation No. 986, which was signed last July 31, 2020, “shall remain unchanged, valid, and existing.”

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said special working days mean “there is no more premium or additional compensation for working on those days.”

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Meanwhile, the regular holidays are:

January 1, 2021, Friday – New Year’s Day
April 1, 2021, Maundy Thursday
April 2, 2021, Good Friday
April 9, 2021, Friday – Araw ng Kagitingan
May 1, 2021, Saturday – Labor Day
June 12, 2021, Saturday – Independence Day
August 30, 2021, last Monday of August – National Heroes’ Day
November 30, 2021, Tuesday – Bonifacio Day
December 25, 2021, Saturday – Christmas Day
December 30, 2021, Thursday – Rizal Day

Also read: Vendors who went on ‘pork holiday’ urged to resume selling

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Duterte makes All Souls Day, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve special working days

Special non-working days:

February 12, 2021, Friday – Chinese New Year
February 25, 2021, Thursday – EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary
April 3, 2021 – Black Saturday
August 21, 2021, Saturday – Ninoy Aquino Day
November 1, 2021, Monday – All Saints’ Day
December 8, 2021, Wednesday – Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary

Special working days:

November 2, 2021, Tuesday – All Souls’ Day
December 24, 2021, Friday – Christmas Eve
December 31, 2021, Friday – last day of the year

The President will issue separate proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr, the end of the month-long Ramadan, and Eid’l Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, after the dates of these Islamic holidays are determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar or the lunar calendar. The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos shall inform the Office of the President of the dates on which these holidays will fall in 2021.

Netizens have mixed reactions regarding Duterte’s proclamation regarding the working holidays for 2021.