DOLE Issues Guidelines for Holiday Pay for December 2025 Holidays in PH
DECEMBER 2025 HOLIDAYS – Here is a guide on the regular and special non-working days in the Philippines this month and the holiday pay for the employees.
Among the 12 months in the year and the many holidays in the list of the 2025 Philippine holidays, one of those with several holidays is December. Undeniably, it is also one of the most-awaited month of countless Filipinos every year. The Philippines is one of the countries with the longest Christmas celebration.
The December 2025 holidays include regular and special non-working days. For each of them, the Department of Labor and Employment or DOLE has set guidelines as employees who work on the said days are entitled to an extra pay.
The December 2025 holidays in the Philippines includes the December 25 and December 31 as regular holidays and the December 8, 24, and 31 as special non-working days. There are varying holiday pay for the employees on these holidays.
Regular Holidays
December 25 and December 30 are among the December 2025 holidays in the Philippines. On the 25th is the Christmas Day celebration while on December 30 marks the death anniversary of Philippine National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal. As regular holidays, here are the guidelines set by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the holiday pay:
- “If the employee does not work, the employer shall pay 100% of the employee’s wage for that day, provided that the employee reports to work or is on leave of absence with pay on the day immediately preceding the regular holiday. Where the day immediately preceding the regular holiday is a non-working day in the establishment or the scheduled rest day of the employee, he or she shall be entitled to holiday pay if the employee reports to work or is on leave of absence with pay on the day immediately preceding the non-working day or rest day (Basic wage x 100%).
- For work done during the regular holiday, the employer shall pay a total of 200% of the employee’s wage for that day for the first eight hours (Basic wage x 200%).
- For work done in excess of eight hours, the employer shall pay the employee an additional 30% of the hourly rate on said day (Hourly rate of the basic wage x 200% x 130% x number of hours worked).
- For work done during a regular holiday that also falls on the employee’s rest day, the employer shall pay the employee an additional 30% of the basic wage of 200% (Basic wage x 200% × 130%).
- For work done in excess of eight hours during a regular holiday that also falls on the employee’s rest day, the employer shall pay the employee an additional 30% of the hourly rate on said day (Hourly rate of the basic wage x 200% x 130% x 130% x number of hours worked).”
Special Non-Working Days
Also among the December 2025 holidays are the December 8 for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Mary, the December 24 for the preparation for the Christmas eve, and the December 31 for the preparation for the New Year’s eve. They are special non-working days in the country.
According to the Labor department, here are the basis for the holiday pay on a special non-working day:
- “If the employee does not work, the “no work, no pay” principle shall apply unless there is a favorable company policy, practice, or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment on a special day.
- For work done during the special day, the employer shall pay the employee an additional 30% of the basic wage on the first eight hours of work (Basic wage x 130%).
- For work done in excess of eight hours, the employer shall pay the employee an additional 30% of the hourly rate on said day (Hourly rate of the basic wage x 130% x 130% x number of hours worked).
- For work done during the special day that also falls on the employee’s rest day, the employer shall pay the employee an additional 50% of the basic wage on the first eight hours of work (Basic wage x 150%).
- For work done in excess of eight hours during the special day that also falls on the employee’s rest day, the employer shall pay the employee an additional 30% of the hourly rate on said day (Hourly rate of the basic wage x 150% x 130% x number of hours worked).”
Are you excited to check on the 2026 Philippine holidays?