Holiday pay in the Philippines refers to the additional compensation employees receive during declared holidays, even if they don’t work, or especially if they do. Under the Labor Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 442) and guidelines issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), employees are entitled to specific pay rates depending on whether they worked, rendered overtime, or if the holiday falls on their rest day.
In simple terms:
- If you don’t work on a regular holiday, you still get paid.
- If you work, you earn more than your regular daily wage, sometimes even double or triple depending on the situation.
This guide will walk you through how to compute holiday pay step-by-step, including common scenarios like working 8 hours, overtime, and rest day + holiday combinations. By the end, you’ll clearly understand how your pay is calculated and you’ll be ready to use a calculator to automate it.
Legal Basis of Holiday Pay in the Philippines
Holiday pay rules are primarily based on:
- Article 94 of the Labor Code (P.D. 442)
- DOLE Omnibus Rules (Book III, Rule IV)
- DOLE Handbook on Workers’ Statutory Monetary Benefits
These laws require employers to pay employees properly during holidays to protect their income and ensure fair compensation.
Holiday Pay Calculator Philippines (Regular Holiday, Rest Day, Overtime)
Use this Holiday Pay Calculator to quickly compute how much you should earn during Philippine holidays based on official DOLE rules. Whether you worked a regular holiday, rendered overtime, or your shift fell on a rest day + holiday, this tool automatically applies the correct multipliers, so you don’t have to compute everything manually.
Simply choose your scenario, enter your daily or hourly rate, and input your hours worked. The calculator will instantly show your total pay using the proper formulas (like 200%, 260%, and overtime premiums), making it especially helpful if you’re unsure how holiday pay is computed.
Holiday Pay Calculator (Philippines)
Types of Holidays (Important Before You Compute)
Before you start computing your holiday pay, it’s important to understand that not all holidays are treated the same. In the Philippines, holidays are generally classified into two main types: regular holidays and special non-working holidays, and each has different pay rules.
1. Regular Holidays
Regular holidays, such as New Year’s Day and Christmas Day, offer the highest level of protection for employees. If you do not work on a regular holiday, you are still entitled to receive 100% of your daily wage. If you do work, however, your pay increases significantly to 200% of your daily rate, which is why it’s commonly referred to as “double pay.”
2. Special Non-Working Holidays
Special non-working holidays like Ninoy Aquino Day and All Saints’ Day follow a different rule. If you do not work, the general rule is “no work, no pay,” unless your company has a more favorable policy.
But if you do work on a special holiday, you are entitled to 130% of your daily rate. While this is still higher than your regular pay, it is lower compared to the rate for regular holidays, which is why identifying the type of holiday is crucial before making any computation.
Basic Formula Setup
To compute holiday pay, define:
- Daily Rate (DR) = your salary per day
- Hourly Rate (HR) = Daily Rate ÷ 8
Scenario 1: Regular Holiday (No Work)
If you don’t work on a regular holiday:
Formula:
Daily Rate × 100%
Example:
₱800 × 100% = ₱800
You still get paid your full daily wage.
Scenario 2: Worked 8 Hours on a Regular Holiday
If you work a full 8-hour shift:
Formula:
Daily Rate × 200%
Example:
₱800 × 200% = ₱1,600
This is what people commonly call “double pay.”
Scenario 3: Holiday with Overtime
If you work more than 8 hours on a regular holiday, you get an additional 30% of your hourly rate (based on the holiday rate).
To understand this better:
- First 8 hours → 200%
- Overtime hours → +30% of hourly rate on top of holiday rate
Formula:
(Daily Rate × 200%) + (Hourly Rate × 200% × 130% × OT hours)
Example:
Daily Rate = ₱800
Hourly Rate = ₱100
- Base pay: ₱800 × 200% = ₱1,600
- OT (2 hours): (₱100 × 200%) × 130% × 2 = ₱520
Total Pay = ₱2,120
Scenario 4: Holiday That Falls on a Rest Day
This is where many people get confused. If a regular holiday falls on your rest day and you work:
- You get 200% (holiday pay)
- Plus 30% additional (rest day premium)
Formula:
Daily Rate × 200% x 130%
Example:
₱800 × 200% x 130% = ₱2,080
Scenario 5: Rest Day + Holiday with Overtime
If you work overtime in this situation:
- Base: 200% (holiday rate) + 130% (rest day premium)
- OT: 200% (holiday rate) + 130% (rest day premium) + 130% (overtime premium)
Formula:
(Daily Rate × 200% x 130%) + (hourly rate × 200% x 130% x 130% x OT hours)
Example:
Daily Rate = ₱800
Hourly Rate = ₱100
- Base pay: ₱800 × 200% x 130% = ₱2,080
- OT (2 hours): ₱100 × 200% × 130% × 130% x 2 = ₱676
Total Pay = ₱2,756
This results in even higher pay (often close to triple your regular rate).
Scenario 6: Special Non-Working Holiday
For comparison:
- Worked → 130%
- Worked + rest day → 150%
- OT → +30% of hourly rate
Example:
Daily Rate = ₱800
Hourly Rate = ₱100
- Worked: ₱800 x 130% = ₱1,040
- Worked + rest day: ₱800 x 150% = ₱1,200
- OT: ₱100 x 130% x 130% = ₱169/hr
Important Reminders (Simple but Crucial)
Before you finalize your holiday pay computation, it’s important to keep a few key rules in mind. In most cases, employees must have worked or been on paid leave the day immediately before the holiday to qualify for holiday pay.
For monthly-paid employees, holiday pay may already be included in their salary, but any work rendered during a holiday still entitles them to additional premium pay. Lastly, overtime is always computed with an extra 30% on top of the hourly rate for that specific day, whether it’s a regular holiday, special holiday, or rest day, so it’s crucial to apply the correct base rate before adding the overtime premium.
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