Philippine Public Holidays 2027: A Planning Calendar for AU & NZ Businesses

What are the Philippine public holidays in 2027?

Under Proclamation No. 1427, the Philippines has 10 regular holidays and 8 special non-working days in 2027, plus one special working day, and 12 of those 18 fall on a weekday. Eid'l Fitr and Eid'l Adha are still to be declared. The tightest periods for AU and NZ teams are Holy Week and the last week of December.

This guide is for owners and managers whose Filipino team works to the Philippine calendar. It is general information, not legal advice, and the holiday pay rates come from press reports of a DOLE advisory, so confirm them with your provider. Table 1 lists every date.

Seven of the ten regular holidays and five of the eight special non-working days fall Monday to Friday, which assumes a five-day week. The remaining six fall on a Saturday. The special working day on 25 February, the EDSA People Power anniversary, is an ordinary working day.

How does holiday pay work for Filipino staff?

The rate depends on the type of day and whether the person works. Table 2 sets out the first eight hours, as reported from DOLE Labor Advisory No. 17 of 30 September 2026.

Three practical points follow. A regular holiday is paid even if nobody works, for eligible staff, so it is a cost in every month that contains one. A special non-working day is different: the default is no work, no pay, unless company policy or an agreement is more favourable. And these rules apply to employees, so the question of who the employer is matters, as it does for the 13th month.

Whoever employs the worker owes these premiums, and your agreement should say whether they are passed through to you. Sources differ on overtime multiples and none we read covers monthly-paid staff or double holidays, so ask your provider for the rates in writing.

Which 2027 dates clash with Australian and New Zealand holidays?

Few overlap, which is the planning problem: one side is usually closed while the other is open. Table 3 shows the key dates for a Monday to Friday team, using the 2027 Fair Work Ombudsman and Employment New Zealand calendars.

Australian dates vary by state and territory, so check yours. King's Birthday falls on 14 June in most states, and Labour Day varies from 1 March in Western Australia to 4 October in New South Wales. None of those fall on a Philippine holiday, and Matariki on Friday 25 June is a working day in Manila.

How will Holy Week and December affect cover?

They are the two stretches that need a plan. In Holy Week the Philippine team is off on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 March, with Black Saturday on 27 March. You are open on the Thursday when Manila is closed, both sides are closed on Good Friday, and you are closed on Easter Monday, 29 March, when Manila is working.

The last week of December is tighter. Christmas Eve on Friday 24 December is a special non-working day, Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, and your Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December holidays are working days in Manila. Then Rizal Day on Thursday 30 December and the last day of the year on Friday 31 December close Manila again. Wednesday 29 December is the only day that week when both sides are working.

The 13th month pay is due by 24 December, which is a special non-working day in 2027, so we would pay by Thursday 23 December and plan the DOLE report for 15 January. Our 13th month guide covers the rules.

What about Eid'l Fitr and Eid'l Adha?

They have no date yet. The proclamation says separate proclamations will follow once the approximate dates are determined, on the recommendation of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos. Plan for two more days to be added and do not assume which weekday they fall on. Re-check this calendar when the proclamations are issued.

How should you plan around the calendar?

Put all 19 dates in a shared calendar alongside your own state's holidays, and mark the days when either side is closed. Decide in advance whether anyone is expected to work a holiday, and agree the premium and who bears it. Move deadlines, handovers and payroll cut-offs that land on a Philippine holiday, and book leave around Holy Week and 30 and 31 December early. For roles that need live cover, ask the team to stagger leave so someone is available.

If you hire in 2027, put the calendar into the offer so the new person knows which days are off. Our time zone guides show how the working day overlaps when both sides are open.

The bottom line for Australian and New Zealand owners

The Philippine calendar is predictable except for Eid, and the awkward dates are few: Holy Week, the Monday and Tuesday after Christmas, and 30 and 31 December. Pear Tree, with offices in Sydney, Auckland, Hawke's Bay, Cebu, Manila and Cape Town, has placed talent with 750+ Australian and New Zealand businesses, but each provider treats holiday work differently, so ask for the policy in writing.

About the author

Nick, Co-Founder of Pear Tree, leads sales, partnerships and business development. Pear Tree connects Australian and New Zealand businesses directly with vetted offshore professionals from the Philippines and South Africa, with no agency middleman.

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