October 31, 2019: Is it a non-working holiday?

President Rodrigo Duterte made Proclamation No. 555 that November 1 and 2, which most Filipinos celebrate the All Saints’ Day and All Souls Day, were declared non-working holidays. Up to the date of writing, October 31, a Thursday, has not been declared a holiday so there are some Filipinos who are quite confused whether or not October 31 was declared a non-working holiday.

October 31, 2019: Is it a non-working holiday?

The complete list of Philippine Holidays declared under Proclamation No. 555 was published on this blog last February 1, 2019. The list of holidays for 2019 was officially released last August 16, 2018.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Proclamation No. 555 declaring the regular public holidays and special non-working days for 2019 last August 15, 2018.

The regular holidays are:

January 1, 2019, Tuesday – New Year’s Day
April 9, 2019, Tuesday – Araw ng Kagitingan
April 18, 2019 – Maundy Thursday
April 19, 2019 – Good Friday
May 1, 2019, Wednesday – Labor Day
June 12, 2019, Wednesday – Independence Day
August 26, 2019, last Monday of August – National Heroes’ Day
November 30, 2019, Saturday – Bonifacio Day
December 25, 2019, Wednesday – Christmas Day
December 30, 2019, Monday – Rizal Day

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Special non-working days:

February 5, 2019, Tuesday – Chinese New Year
February 25, 2019, Monday – EDSA Revolution Anniversary
April 20, 2019 – Black Saturday
August 21, 2019, Wednesday – Ninoy Aquino Day
November 1, 2019, Friday – All Saints’ Day
December 8, 2019, Sunday – Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
December 31, 2019, Tuesday – Last Day of the Year

Additional special non-working holidays:

November 2, 2019, Saturday – All Souls’ Day
December 24, 2019, Tuesday – Christmas Eve

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The Malacañan Palace will issue a proclamation to declare national holidays for Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined.

WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 9422 dated 24 July 2007 amended Section 26, Chapter 7, Book I of Executive Order (EO) No. 292, also known as the Administrative Code of 1987, by declaring certain days (specific or movable) as special or regular holidays;

WHEREAS, RA No. 9849 dated 11 December 2009, provides that the Eidul Adha shall be celebrated as a national holiday;

WHEREAS, on 05 February 2019, Chinese nationals all over the world will celebrate Spring Festival, popularly known as Chinese New Year, which is one of the most revered and festive events celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines, and such date may be declared as a special (non-working) day without detriment to public interest;

WHEREAS, on 25 February 2019, the country will commemorate the 33rd Anniversary of EDSA People Power Revolution, which restored and ushered political, social and economic reforms in the country;

WHEREAS, Black Saturday, which falls on 20 April 2019, has been traditionally declared a special (non-working) day throughout the country, the observance of Holy Week being one of the most cherished traditions of our predominantly Catholic people;

WHEREAS, declaring 02 November 2019 (Saturday) and 24 December 2019 (Tuesday) as additional special (non-working) days throughout the country will strengthen family ties by providing more time for the traditional All Saints’ Day, All Soul’s Day and Christmas Day commemorative activities and will promote domestic tourism as well;

WHEREAS, RA No. 10966 dated 28 December 2017, provides that December 8 of every year shall be celebrated as a special non-working holiday in the entire country to commemorate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution as President of the Philippines, do hereby declare:

SECTION 1. The following regular holidays and special days for the year 2019 shall be observed in the country:

A. Regular Holidays

New Year’s Day – 1 January (Tuesday)
Araw ng Kagitingan – 9 April (Tuesday)
Maundy Thursday – 18 April
Good Friday – 19 April
Labor Day – 1 May (Wednesday)
Independence Day – 12 June (Wednesday)
National Heroes Day – 26 August (Last Monday of August)
Bonifacio Day – 30 November (Saturday)
Christmas Day – 25 December (Wednesday)
Rizal Day – 30 December (Monday)

B. Special (Non-Working) Days

Chinese New Year – 05 February (Tuesday)
EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary – 25 February (Monday)
Black Saturday – 20 April
Ninoy Aquino Day – 21 August (Wednesday)
All Saints Day – 1 November (Friday)
Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary – 8 December (Sunday)
Last Day of the Year – 31 December (Tuesday)
Additional special (non-working) Days – 2 November (Saturday) & 24 December (Tuesday)

SECTION 2. The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha shall hereafter be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient. To this end, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) shall inform the Office of the President on the actual dates on which these holidays shall respectively fall.

SECTION 3. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall promulgate the implementing guidelines for this Proclamation

SECTION 4. This Proclamation shall take effect immediately.

SECTION 5. This Proclamation shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation.

IN THE WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 15th day of August in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand, and Eighteen.

By authority of the President:

(Sgd.) SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA
Executive Secretary

In 2018, the Palace did not proclaim October 31 as a special non-working holiday and only listed November 2 as a holiday. It clarified then that it would be up to the owners of private companies to give their employees days off.

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However, Malacañang later on suspended all government work on the afternoon of October 31 last year to allow them to travel for All Saints’ Day.

Large crowds are expected to visit their departed loved ones in various cemeteries on All Saints’ Day.