DOLE reminds Bicol employers of November holiday pay rules

By Jordan Kurt Domingo

LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has reminded employers to observe the prescribed pay rules for workers reporting for duty during All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day and Bonifacio Day this November.

In Labor Advisory No. 18, series of 2026, signed by Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino on October 12, DOLE outlined the compensation rates for employees in the private sector during the two special non-working days on November 1 and 2 and the regular holiday on November 30. The advisory was released on October 13.

Under the advisory, employees who work on November 1 and 2 are entitled to 130 percent of their basic wage for the first eight hours. Those who work beyond eight hours must receive an additional 30 percent of their hourly rate on the applicable holiday rate.

Workers who report for duty on either special non-working day that coincides with their scheduled rest day are entitled to 150 percent of their basic wage for the first eight hours. Overtime work on these days is subject to an additional 30 percent premium on the applicable hourly rate.

Employees who do not work on either special non-working day generally are not entitled to pay under the “no work, no pay” principle, unless a company policy, established practice or collective bargaining agreement provides otherwise.

For Bonifacio Day on November 30, employees who work are entitled to 200 percent of their basic wage for the first eight hours. Overtime work beyond eight hours must be paid at an additional 30 percent of the applicable holiday hourly rate.

If Bonifacio Day falls on an employee’s scheduled rest day, work during the first eight hours must be compensated at 260 percent of the basic wage. Overtime work in this situation is subject to an additional 30 percent premium on the applicable hourly rate.

Employees who do not work on Bonifacio Day are generally entitled to 100 percent of their basic daily wage, subject to the applicable attendance or paid-leave requirements on the workday immediately preceding the regular holiday.

If the day immediately preceding the holiday is a non-working day in the establishment or the employee’s scheduled rest day, the applicable rules on attendance or paid leave on the preceding workday also apply.

Bicol Minimum Wage: P480 in December

The holiday-pay reminder comes as private-sector workers in the Bicol Region prepare for the second tranche of the region’s minimum-wage increase, which will take effect on December 1.

Under Wage Order No. RBV-23, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-V approved a total daily wage increase of P45, to be implemented in two tranches.

The first P20 increase took effect on April 8, raising the daily minimum wage from P435 to P455. The remaining P25 increase will bring the minimum daily wage to P480 starting December 1, according to the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC).

The NWPC estimates that 101,868 minimum-wage earners will directly benefit from the wage adjustment, while another 409,081 full-time workers earning above the minimum wage may indirectly benefit from adjustments intended to address wage distortions, or pay gaps between different job levels.

The combined estimate is 510,949 direct and indirect beneficiaries. These are projected figures and do not mean that all affected workers have already received wage adjustments.

The wage order followed the regional wage board’s review of minimum-wage rates under the country’s wage-setting framework. The NWPC said the review considered factors including workers’ needs, employers’ capacity to pay and regional economic and social development.

Employers are advised to review their payroll computations and ensure that employees receive the correct holiday pay and applicable premiums.

Workers seeking clarification on their entitlements may contact the nearest DOLE office or call the department’s hotline at 1349.