A question we often get asked here at Deployed is ‘How are the holidays different in the Philippines?’ The answer is simple, but will also vary year on year, as most Philippine holidays have fixed dates while others depend on religious observation.

That means every year, Filipinos look out for the official list of days for the upcoming year. Once these are set in stone, employees will then start to plan their leave. Employers can then look at making rosters (if necessary) and managing hours from there.

The main dates to consider (as an employer) are the long weekends that are created as a result of the holidays – staff will naturally try and optimise these. Localised holidays are also to be factored in e.g. Manila Day, Quezon City Day. TheRE are also some impromptu holidays – issued by the President.

Holiday pay, bonuses and benefits

Depending on the company, employees may be required to render work on holidays. Alongside their rendered work, employees may be paid for their services during these holidays. Especially in the BPO Industry where it is common to follow their client’s timezone. It is standard practice to follow these bonuses and incentives as a thank-you for their employees.

Regular working holiday rules

Employees are paid 200% of their daily rate and cost of living allowance, If the employee decides not work during these days, they will still be paid 100% of their daily rate for that day. 

Overtime during holidays

Once an employee’s rendered work exceeds eight hours on a holiday, an additional 30% of their hourly rate shall be applied on top of their holiday pay. This is usually the case for most employees within the outsourcing industry since their schedule adheres to their clients’ timezone.

13th month pay and Christmas bonuses

Christmas is one of the most important holidays in the country and Filipinos will usually take this time to spend with their family. It is also the time where they receive their bonuses of the year: the 13th Month and the Christmas Bonus.

13th-month pays are usually equivalent to a month worth of employee’s salary or its equivalent prorated amount – depending on how long they’ve been at the company.

At Deployed, we make sure our clients are fully up to speed with all Filipino holidays. This way we can make their time work for you, fitting to your schedule with time-flexible options to suit all parties. 

Contact us today to see how we can help your business.