Any employee is looking forward to two things—paydays and holidays. Well, who doesn’t? Holidays in the Philippines allow people to spend some quality time with their loved ones, and that much-needed me-time before getting back to the daily grind.
Start planning your vacations for the rest of the year by keeping tabs on upcoming holidays in the Philippines. Here's a quick guide to the 2022 Philippine holidays and long weekends that can help you plan your vacations wisely.
List of Official Holidays in the Philippines 2022
There are 239 working days[1] and 16 holidays in the Philippines in 2022. According to research done by Gulf Business, the Philippines is one of the countries with the most public holidays in the world.[2] India tops the list followed by Colombia and the Philippines.
Holidays in the Philippines are also grouped into two—regular and special non-working holidays. Regular holidays typically have a fixed date, like New Year’s Day, Labor Day, and Christmas Day. On the other hand, special non-working holidays are more flexible. They are typically enacted by Congress or declared by the President.
However, recently, the Philippine government proclaimed three special working days to minimize work disruption and boost economic activity while we're still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
List of Regular Holidays in the Philippines 2022
- January 1, 2022 – Saturday (New Year's Day)
- April 9, 2022 – Saturday (Araw ng Kagitingan)
- April 14, 2022 – Thursday (Maundy Thursday)
- April 15, 2022 - Friday (Good Friday)
- May 1, 2022 – Sunday (Labor Day)
- June 12, 2022 – Sunday (Independence Day)
- August 29, 2022 – Monday (National Heroes' Day)
- November 30, 2022 – Wednesday (Bonifacio Day)
- December 25, 2022 – Sunday (Christmas Day)
- December 30, 2022 – Friday (Rizal Day)
Related article: Holiday Pay Rules and Computation in the Philippines
List of Special Non-Working Holidays in the Philippines 2022
- February 1, 2022 – Tuesday (Chinese New Year)
- February 25, 2022 – Friday (EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary)
- April 16, 2022 – Saturday (Black Saturday)
- August 21, 2022 – Sunday (Ninoy Aquino Day)
- November 1, 2022 – Tuesday (All Saints' Day)
- December 8, 2022 – Thursday (Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary)
List of Special Working Holidays in the Philippines 2022
- November 2, 2022 - Wednesday (All Souls' Day)
- December 24, 2022 - Saturday (Christmas Eve)
- December 31, 2022 – Saturday (last day of the year)
The President issued separate holiday declarations for Eid’l Fitr, the end of Ramadan, and for Eid’al Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice on May 3 and July 9, respectively. The declaration is typically announced after the dates for these Islamic holidays are determined according to the Islamic calendar. The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos informs the Office of the President of the dates for these Islamic holidays.[3]
Long Weekends in 2022
You can maximize your holidays if you know how to plan right. For example, the August long weekend (thanks to the National Heroes' Day holiday) is a good time to take a breather before the busy Ber months begin.
Take note of these long weekends in the Philippines for 2022 to get the most out of your vacation time:
- National Heroes' Day weekend – August 27 to 29 (three days)
- End of the Year weekend – December 30 to January 1, 2023 (three days)
Read more: From Pottery to Riding a Scooter: 11 New Things to Try This Year
When to Schedule Your Vacation Leaves for 2022
If these long weekends are not enough for you, you can extend them further. This is where being strategic in filing your hard-earned vacation leaves or VL comes into play.
Some 2022 holidays fall on a Tuesday or Thursday, so it’s best to file your leave on these sandwiched holidays. For example, All Saints' Day falls on a Tuesday. You can file for leave the day before it (Monday, October 31) to get a long four-day weekend.
If you have more than 10 paid VLs annually, don’t let them go to waste. Use them and take some time to recharge and relax. File for VL on December 9 (Friday) after the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary holiday to get another four-day long weekend in 2022.
Cheat Sheet to Schedule Your Leaves for 2022
Vacation Planning Ideas for Long Weekends
Done planning your vacation leaves? Great! Here are some quick ideas you may consider as you start planning your vacations around holidays in the Philippines for the remaining months of 2022.
All Saint’s Day Weekend
Apart from visiting your late loved ones on All Saint’s Day, why not spend the weekend reliving your fondest memories with them? Go to your and your beloved’s favorite places. Perhaps, do activities that you both enjoyed.
Christmas Weekend
You have around five to 12 days to spend outside work, so maximize your holiday break! Plan your reunion and travel schedules for December carefully, so you won't spread yourself too thin and get haggard when you get back to work after your vacation.
End of the Year Weekend
Why not end the year with a bang? Tick off your 2022 New Year’s resolution before 2023 starts—it’s never too late! However, if the Christmas holidays have already left you tired, why not spend a few days recharging before another year of more adventures and surprises?
Read more:
Final Thoughts
Now that you have an idea of upcoming holidays in the Philippines in 2022, start plotting your long weekend trips and vacations. In doing so, you can give your bosses an early heads-up and file your vacation leaves strategically. It also allows you to schedule your activities properly. It's been a challenging year, so you'd better make the most out of it!
Sources:
- [1] Working Days in Philippines in 2022 (Excelnotes)
- [2] Revealed: Countries with the Most Number of Public Holidays (Nagraj, Gulf Business, 2015)
- [3] National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Mandate
Back to Blog 
