Regular holiday vs special non-working day: what's the difference?
Every time the holiday list comes out, the group chat asks the same thing: "Is that regular or special? Do we have work?" Here's the simple version, so you know how to plan your leave.
There are three kinds of days on the list
1. Regular holidays.
These are the "big" holidays set by law and mostly the same every year, like New Year's Day, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, Araw ng Kagitingan, Labor Day, Independence Day, National Heroes Day, Bonifacio Day, Christmas Day and Rizal Day, plus Eid'l Fitr and Eid'l Adha (proclaimed separately). Most employees don't work on these days, unless their job needs them to (hospitals, retail, BPOs and others).
2. Special non-working days.
These are also declared days off, but the law treats them differently from regular holidays. They include days such as Black Saturday, All Saints' Day and Christmas Eve. The government can also add special days during the year, which is why "surprise" holidays sometimes happen.
3. Special working days.
The day is commemorated, but it's still a work day. In the planner we don't count it as a day off, because it's a normal work day.
What about pay?
Pay rules are different if you work on a regular holiday versus a special day. We don't calculate that here yet; a holiday pay calculator is in the works. Until then, the best sources are DOLE's latest advisory and your HR. (We're not connected to DOLE or any government agency.)
Some holidays aren't fixed yet
- Eid'l Fitr and Eid'l Adha. These are proclaimed separately, usually closer to the date. In our calendar they're marked "To be proclaimed" until they're announced.
- Local holidays. Cities and provinces have their own special days, like charter days. They're usually declared by a separate proclamation and only apply in that place. But Cebu City Charter Day (February 24), Cebu Province Charter Day (August 6) and Osmeña Day (September 9) are fixed by law (RA 7287, RA 8952 and RA 6953) every year.
Why this matters for leave planning
Holidays are the "free" days that connect to your leave. The more holidays fall on weekdays, the more chances to build a long weekend. But if a date turns out to be a special working day, you have work, and you shouldn't count on it for a trip.
How we use the list
Every holiday in Sulit Leave comes from published proclamations and news, with a source link and a "last updated" date. When a new proclamation comes out, we update the list. If anything doesn't match, follow the official announcement.
Regular holiday vs special non-working day: ano'ng pinagkaiba?
Tuwing lalabas ang holiday list, laging may tanong sa group chat: "Regular ba 'yan o special? May pasok ba?" Heto ang simpleng paliwanag, para alam mo kung paano planuhin ang leave mo.
May tatlong klase ng araw sa listahan
1. Regular holidays.
Ito ang mga "malalaking" holiday na nakatakda sa batas at halos pareho bawat taon, gaya ng New Year's Day, Maundy Thursday at Good Friday, Araw ng Kagitingan, Labor Day, Independence Day, National Heroes Day, Bonifacio Day, Christmas Day at Rizal Day, pati Eid'l Fitr at Eid'l Adha (pina-proclaim nang hiwalay). Para sa karamihan ng empleyado, walang pasok sa mga araw na 'to, maliban kung kailangan ng trabaho ninyo (ospital, retail, BPO, at iba pa).
2. Special non-working days.
Ito ang mga araw na idineklara ring walang pasok, pero iba ang trato sa batas kumpara sa regular holiday. Kasama rito ang mga araw tulad ng Black Saturday, All Saints' Day at Christmas Eve. Puwede ring magdagdag ang gobyerno ng special days sa loob ng taon, kaya may mga "biglaang" holiday minsan.
3. Special working days.
Ginugunita ang araw, pero may pasok pa rin. Sa planner, hindi namin ito binibilang na day off, kasi normal na work day pa rin ito.
Paano naman ang pay?
Iba ang patakaran sa sahod kapag pumasok ka sa regular holiday kumpara sa special day. Hindi muna namin ito kinukuwenta dito. May holiday pay calculator kaming ginagawa. Habang wala pa, ang pinakamagandang source ay ang pinakabagong advisory ng DOLE at ang HR ninyo. (Hindi kami konektado sa DOLE o sa anumang ahensya ng gobyerno.)
May mga holiday na hindi pa fixed
- Eid'l Fitr at Eid'l Adha. Pina-proclaim nang hiwalay, karaniwang mas malapit na sa mismong araw. Sa calendar namin, naka-mark ang mga 'to na "Hinihintay pa ang proclamation" hangga't wala pang anunsyo.
- Local holidays. Ang mga lungsod at probinsya ay may sariling special days, gaya ng charter day. Karaniwang dinedeklara ito sa hiwalay na proclamation, at sa lugar lang na 'yon may bisa. Pero ang Cebu City Charter Day (Feb 24), Cebu Province Charter Day (Aug 6) at Osmeña Day (Sep 9) ay nakatakda na sa batas (RA 7287, RA 8952 at RA 6953) tuwing taon.
Bakit mahalaga 'to sa leave planning?
Kasi ang holiday ang "libreng" araw na nagdudugtong sa leave mo. Mas maraming holiday na tumatama sa weekday, mas maraming pagkakataong gumawa ng long weekend. Pero kung special working day pala ang isang petsa, may pasok ka, at hindi mo dapat asahan 'yon para sa bakasyon.
Paano namin ginagamit ang listahan
Lahat ng holiday sa Sulit Leave ay galing sa mga na-publish na proclamation at balita, at may link sa source at "last updated" date. Kung may bagong proclamation, ina-update namin ang listahan. Kung may hindi tugma, ang official na anunsyo ang sundin.