2015 Philippine holidays

Plan your vacation: Filipinos can look forward to at least 8 long weekends in 2015, and possibly a 5-day weekend that spills into 2016.

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang has released the list of holidays for 2015 as provided under Proclamation No. 831, dated July 17, but issued to the public only on Wednesday, July 23.

Based on the holiday list, Filipinos can look forward to 8 long weekends, and possibly a 5-day weekend that spills into 2016 – December 30, 2015 to January 3, 2016 – if Malacañang declares January 2, 2016 as an additional special day.

Four-day weekends next year are on January 1-4, April 2-5, and December 24-27.

Three-day weekends are on May 1-3, June 12-14, August 21-23, August 29-31, and November 28-30.

On top of the regular and special (non-working) days in the country, Proclamation 831 declared two additional special (non-working) days in 2015 – January 2 which falls on a Friday, and December 24, Thursday, “in order to foster closer family ties and enable our countrymen to observe New Year and Christmas more meaningfully.”

In declaring Chinese New Year on February 19 as a national special (non-working) day, Malacañang said the event, also known as the Chinese Spring Festival, “ is one of the most revered and festive events celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines by both Chinese-Filipinos and ordinary Filipinos as well.”

"The joint celebration is a manifestation of our solidarity with our Chinese-Filipino brethren who have been part of our lives in many respects as a country and as a people; 19 February 2015 may be declared as a special (non-working) day without detriment to public interest,” it said.

Malacañang said Black Saturday, April 4, has been traditionally declared a special (non-working) day in the country as the observance of Holy Week “is one of our people’s most cherished traditions."

"[Filipinos] must be given the full and uninterrupted opportunity to ponder the significance of Holy Week and to properly observe its traditions with religious fervor, without prejudice to public interest," it said.

The Arroyo administration practiced “holiday economics” or moving holidays that fall on a weekday to the nearest Monday, to boost tourism and the local economy.

The Aquino administration discontinued the practice as it tended to dilute the significance and observance of important dates in the country, prejudiced daily wage earners, and disrupted business operations.

The regular holidays are:

January 1, 2015, Thursday – New Year’s Day 

April 2, 2015, Thursday – Maundy Thursday 

April 3, 2015, Friday – Good Friday
April 9, 2015, Thursday – Araw ng Kagitingan 

May 1, 2015, Friday – Labor Day 

June 12, 2015, Friday – Independence Day

July 17, 2015, Friday – Eid'l Fitr

November 30, 2015, Monday – Bonifacio Day
August 31, 2015, last Monday of August – National Heroes Day 
December 25, 2015, Friday – Christmas Day 
December 30, 2015, Wednesday – Rizal Day 

Special days:

January 2, 2015, Friday 
February 19, 2015, Thursday – Chinese New Year 
April 4, 2015, Saturday – Black Saturday 
August 21, 2015, Friday – Ninoy Aquino Day 
November 1, 2015, Sunday – All Saints Day 
December 24, 2015, Thursday
December 31, 2015, Thursday – Last day of the year

Special holiday (for all schools):

February 25, Wednesday – EDSA Revolution Anniversary