MANILA, Philippines (Updated 5:08 p.m.) — October 31, sometimes called Halloween or All Saints' Eve, will be a special non-working holiday, the Palace said Tuesday as it announced that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had signed the proclamation declaring the day before All Saints' Day also a holiday.
November 1, All Saints' Day, was earlier declared a special non-working holiday. All Saints' and All Souls' days are when many Filipinos traditionally remember their departed, with many traveling to their home provinces to do so. Others who do not celebrate the holidays use the days off for travel and for rest.
RELATED: Vaxxed kids under 12 allowed in Manila cemeteries for Undas | 2 Manila cemeteries to reopen for Undas week
Pay rules
According to Department of Labor and Employment rules, special non-working holidays are covered by the "no work, no pay" policy unless company policy or a collective bargaining agreement says otherwise.
Employees made to report to work during special non-working holidays are to be paid an additional 30% of their daily rate for the first eight hours of work. Overtime is paid an additional 30% of the workers' hourly rate on that day.
According to Proclamation No. 79 that the Palace released later Tuesday, October 31 was declared a special non-working holiday across the Philippines to "strengthen family ties and promote domestic tourism."
October 31 is a Monday, which means making it a holiday would mean a long weekend for many Filipinos.
The declaration also directs the Department of Labor and Employment to issue wage rules for October 31 for the private sector.