Philippine holidays are set each year by presidential proclamation and fall into regular holidays and special non working days. Several do not match US holidays, and the Christmas season runs long. Get the official list as soon as it is published, mark it on a shared calendar, agree in advance who covers what and ask your provider how holiday pay and time off are handled. A simple coverage plan prevents most surprises.
If your remote team is in the Philippines, their holiday calendar is different from yours. Some days line up, like Christmas and New Year's Day. Many do not. A few move every year because they follow the lunar or Islamic calendar or are declared close to the date. US owners who do not plan ahead sometimes discover on a Monday morning that their assistant has the day off.
This post covers how to plan for it without stress.
How the Philippine holiday calendar works
Each year the President issues a proclamation that lists the official holidays for the coming year. They are split into two main types.
Regular holidays include fixed dates such as New Year's Day, Araw ng Kagitingan on April 9, Labor Day on May 1, Independence Day on June 12, Bonifacio Day on November 30, Christmas Day and Rizal Day on December 30. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday move with the Easter calendar. National Heroes Day falls on the last Monday of August. Eid'l Fitr and Eid'l Adha are also regular holidays, with dates announced closer to the time.
Special non working days often include Chinese New Year, Black Saturday, Ninoy Aquino Day in August, All Saints Day on November 1, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. The list can change from year to year, and extra special days are sometimes declared on short notice.
Because the details shift, treat any list you read online, including this one, as a starting point. Always check the official proclamation for the year.
Why the Christmas season matters most
Christmas in the Philippines is a big, long celebration. Families gather, many people travel home to the provinces and the season stretches from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day with several holidays in a short window. If your business is busy in late December, this is the period that needs the most planning.
Talk about it in October. Ask your assistant what they would like to take off and agree on a plan that balances their time with family against your coverage needs.
Holiday pay and time off
Philippine labor rules require premium pay when employees work on holidays, and the rate differs between regular holidays and special non working days. If you hire through a provider, they usually handle this. Ask them directly how holiday work is billed and whether the premium is included in your plan or charged separately.
If you hire a freelancer directly, agree in writing how holidays work. Unclear expectations around holidays are one of the most common sources of friction with offshore staff.
Building a coverage plan
Step one, make a shared calendar
Create a calendar that shows US holidays, Philippine holidays and approved time off for each team member. Share it with the whole team. When everyone can see the gaps, planning becomes a normal conversation instead of a surprise.
Step two, sort tasks by urgency
Go through your assistant's recurring work and put each task in one of three buckets.
- Must happen every business day, such as answering customer emails
- Can wait one or two days, such as bookkeeping entries
- Can wait a week, such as monthly reports
Only the first bucket needs holiday coverage.
Step three, decide who covers
For the daily bucket, you have a few options. You can cover it yourself for a day. A second assistant can cover if you have one. Your provider may offer backup coverage. Or your assistant may agree to work the holiday with premium pay. Our post on when to hire a second virtual assistant covers the point where backup becomes worth paying for.
Step four, prepare in advance
The day before a holiday, have your assistant finish anything time sensitive, set auto replies where needed and leave a short handover note listing what is pending.
Sample handover note
Out tomorrow for Bonifacio Day, back Tuesday. Done today. All support tickets answered, invoices for the week sent. Pending. Two customer refunds waiting on your approval in the shared sheet. Watch for. A reply from the supplier about the delayed shipment. Auto reply is on for the support inbox.
Five lines like these save an hour of confusion.
Time zones on top of holidays
The Philippines is twelve or thirteen hours ahead of US Eastern time depending on daylight saving. A holiday in Manila starts on what is still the previous afternoon or evening in New York. If your assistant works a night shift that matches your day, clarify which shift counts as the holiday. Our post on virtual assistant time zones explains how to set overlap hours.
US holidays your team may work
The reverse question also matters. Will your assistant work on Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July? If your business closes, many owners give the day off. If you stay open, agree on it ahead of time. Clear rules both ways feel fair.
Respect goes a long way
Treat holidays as a chance to build loyalty. Greet your team on the big days. Avoid sending non urgent work late on a holiday eve. Approve leave requests for family events when you can. Small gestures signal that you see them as part of the team, which matters for keeping good people. Our guide on how to retain offshore staff has more ideas.
Planning checklist
- Download the official holiday list when the yearly proclamation is published.
- Add it to a shared team calendar along with US holidays.
- Ask your provider how holiday work and pay are handled.
- Sort recurring tasks by urgency.
- Decide who covers daily tasks on each holiday.
- Plan the Christmas season by October.
- Use a short handover note before each day off.
When coverage really matters
For businesses where a missed day costs real money, such as appointment heavy practices or online stores during a sale, a single assistant can be a risk. Consider a part time backup or a provider that offers coverage. At delegateit, a full time Assistant starts at $1,500 a month for about 160 hours. A part time Assistant starts at $900 a month for about 80 hours. Team plans are quoted. See the pricing page or contact us to talk through coverage.
Philippine holiday questions
How many holidays are there in the Philippines?
The number changes each year with the official proclamation. Check the current year's list rather than relying on a fixed count.
Do Filipino assistants work on US holidays?
It depends on your agreement. Many businesses give the day off if they close and agree on coverage if they stay open.
What happens if a holiday is declared on short notice?
Special days are occasionally added close to the date. Keep a backup plan for daily tasks so a surprise holiday does not leave customers waiting.
Who pays holiday premiums?
If you hire through a provider, ask how it is handled in your plan. If you hire directly, agree on it in writing.