Your Guide to the Long Weekends for 2023

Filipino employees have a lot to look forward to in 2023! A new year means a fresh start to pursue new opportunities and a new calendar with weekends to rest up and recharge.

The good news is that for 2023, everyone has a total of 11 long weekends to spend with loved ones and have fun! Enjoy well-deserved, lengthy vacations by saving these dates and planning accordingly.

Here’s a quick look at all the long weekends in the Philippines for 2023.

Want to know more about the holidays we’ve included in our infographic? Or do you need a refresher on these special days? Here’s everything you need to know about each Philippine holiday with a long weekend this year.

Every December 30, Filipinos celebrate Dr. Jose Rizal’s life and work. The National Hero’s execution at Bagumbayan happened on this day in 1896, spurring locals to revolt against the Spanish colonizers. Two years later, Emilio Aguinaldo issued a proclamation declaring December 30 a national holiday.

The Philippines celebrates the New Year on December 31 or New Year’s Eve. Festivities then continue into the first few hours of January 1 (New Year’s Day). During this joyful time, Filipinos attend parties, gather at their dining tables for Media Noche (Spanish for “midnight”), and light fireworks or make noise to drive bad luck away.

Holy Week is a time of reflection and penance for Filipino Catholics. Devout believers remember what happened before Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and when he was resurrected.

Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus’ arrival at Jerusalem on a donkey for Passover, and ends on Easter Sunday. Catholics celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on the latter day.

Unlike the other holidays we celebrate, Holy Week can fall on different dates because of Easter. The Easter celebration has no fixed date, which explains why we sometimes observe Holy Week in March or, in other instances, April.

The Philippines celebrates this next holiday, also called International Workers’ Day, every May 1. The first international congress of socialist parties in Europe declared Labor Day as an official holiday on June 14, 1889, with its first celebration happening a year later.

Labor Day honors all Filipino workers, serving as an opportunity for everyone to celebrate the well-deserved rights of every employee.

Additionally, many labor groups highlight current worker-related issues, mainly through rallies at Malacañang and significant cities in the Philippines.

June 12, is Philippine Independence Day. On this day in 1898, Filipino rebels declared the country’s independence from Spain.

Moreover, General Emilio Aguinaldo’s government formally unfurled our national flag, and everyone heard our national anthem for the first time during this historic day.

This special holiday in the Philippines is celebrated every year on August 21st. It commemorates the death of the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino Jr., who was assassinated upon returning to the country on August 21, 1983. His passing marked the gradual end for former President Ferdinand Marcos and his dictatorial government.

The Philippines began commemorating Aquino’s life and death through a national holiday in 2004.

We also observe National Heroes Day every August. When the Philippines was under American rule, this holiday would fall on the last Sunday of August every year. But in 2007, Republic Act No. 9492 officially changed when Filipinos celebrated National Heroes Day. Today, we honor our brave heroes every last Monday of August.

The following two holidays fall on the first two days of November. All Saints’ Day (November 1) is for all Catholic saints and martyrs.

Meanwhile, All Souls’ Day (November 2) remembers all deceased individuals. Filipinos spend both days visiting their deceased loved ones.

November 30 is Bonifacio Day or Andres Bonifacio’s birthday. The “Father of the Filipino Revolution” was born in 1863.

We usually observe this holiday every November 30. But sometimes, Bonifacio Day can fall on the nearest Monday for a long weekend.

Besides Holy Week, Filipino Catholics also celebrate the Virgin Mary’s birth. The Feast (or Solemnity) of the Immaculate Conception happens every December 8th. On this day, St. Anne conceived Mary without original sin.

Of course, we must include this joyful celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth. As one beloved holiday song croons, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” Gifts, delicious feasts (especially Noche Buena), and quality time with family and friends await Filipinos every Christmas season.

The Philippines government has established rules on compensating employees during regular and special holidays. You can see these guidelines in the table below.

Whether your workforce rests or works on a holiday, you’ll need to ensure they receive adequate compensation. Manually calculating holiday pay can get complicated, so elevating how you approach this task is crucial to avoiding costly errors.

Holidays and pay rates may change, and your payroll system should adapt and stay up-to-date. Sprout constantly updates its comprehensive payroll system with the latest government-mandated rules and regulations to help you maintain compliance. Sprout Payroll offers 99.9% payroll accuracy, resulting in correct and timely salaries.

Want to learn more about our digital payroll tool? Visit Sprout Payroll’s overview page or book a consultation with our payroll experts today. And for more helpful insights on digitizing payroll, check out our blog.