What holiday is today in the Philippines? August 21, 2026 is a special non-working holiday
August 21, 2026 is a Special Non-Working Holiday in the Philippines: Ninoy Aquino Day. It falls under Proclamation No. 1006, which lists all official regular holidays and special non-working days for the year.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Date | August 21, 2026 (Friday) |
| Holiday type | Special Non-Working Holiday |
| Holiday name | Ninoy Aquino Day |
| Day off for government workers? | Yes |
| Day off for private sector? | Not required; depends on your employer |
| Pay if required to work | 130% of your daily rate |
Since August 21 falls on a Friday this year, workers who do get the day off enjoy a long weekend. If you were just checking what holiday is today, that is your quick answer. Unlike a regular holiday, your company is not legally required to give you the day off. The pay rules are a few sections down.
August 21 quick guide: what to know before you head out
A few things worth knowing before you leave the house.
Events and commemorations
Ninoy Aquino Day is a quieter holiday than most. No major parades or national ceremonies take over city roads. The main commemorations happen at the Ninoy Aquino Monument along Ayala Avenue in Makati, where officials and ordinary citizens lay flowers throughout the day. A Catholic Mass is also held at the Aquino family mausoleum at Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque. If you plan to visit either location, expect heavier-than-usual foot traffic around the Makati CBD and Parañaque in the morning.
No alcohol ban
Ninoy Aquino Day does not typically carry a liquor ban. However, some LGUs issue their own local ordinances around commemorations. Check your city or barangay’s official page if you are in or near Makati or Parañaque.
What is closed and what is open
All government offices close today: PSA, LTO, NBI, DFA, SSS branches, PhilHealth branches, Pag-IBIG offices, and all banks. Because this is a Special Non-Working Holiday, however, many private companies stay open. Malls, restaurants, and convenience stores run on normal or near-normal hours. MRT and LRT operate on regular schedules. If your private sector office is open today, that is legal. Your employer is not required to give you this day off.
Online portals are still running
Even with government offices shut, you can still check your SSS contributions on My.SSS or verify your PhilHealth contributions online. Both portals run 24 hours. The holiday does not affect them.
Regular holiday vs. special non-working holiday: what is the difference?
This is the distinction that trips up the most Filipino workers every year. Most articles just list holiday dates without explaining it, so many workers end up surprised on payday.
A regular holiday is a full paid day off for all workers, both government and private sector. A special non-working holiday, however, is mandatory only for government employees. Private companies are not legally required to give the day off. If they do give it, you get no pay unless your company policy or collective bargaining agreement says otherwise.
| Type | Paid day off? | Pay if you work | Typical closures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Holiday | Yes, for everyone | 200% of daily rate | Banks, gov offices, most schools |
| Special Non-Working | Gov only; private optional | 130% of daily rate | Gov offices; malls usually open |
August 21 is a Special Non-Working Holiday. Your company can legally require you to work today without paying the regular holiday double rate. However, if they do ask you to report, the 130% rule applies. The next section has the exact numbers.
How much will you get paid if you work today?
Under DOLE Labor Advisory No. 12-25, working on a special non-working holiday means you earn 130% of your daily rate for the first eight hours. If August 21 is your scheduled rest day and your employer still requires you to report, that rate goes up to 150%.
| Your situation on August 21 | Pay rate |
|---|---|
| Regular holiday, you don’t work | 100% (you still get paid) |
| Regular holiday, you work (non-rest day) | 200% of daily rate |
| Regular holiday, you work (rest day) | 260% of daily rate |
| Special non-working, you don’t work | No pay (unless company policy) |
| Special non-working, you work (non-rest day) | 130% of daily rate |
| Special non-working, you work (rest day) | 150% of daily rate |
The company holiday trick most articles skip
Some companies declare their own “company holidays” on dates that are not on the official national list. These are not covered by DOLE’s holiday pay rules. Many workers assume any holiday their employer announces automatically triggers the 200% rate. It does not.
Only official national holidays declared by Proclamation are covered by the Labor Code. So if your company memo says “company holiday” without a Proclamation number, ask your HR team which rules apply. The law sets the minimum. Your actual pay often depends on your employer’s own policy, and some companies quietly treat their own declared holidays differently from national ones.
If your payday arrives and your holiday pay looks short, contact your regional DOLE office directly. Bring your payslip and the company memo as documentation.
What is open and closed on Philippine regular holidays?
On every regular holiday, all government offices close. PSA, LTO, NBI, DFA, BIR, SSS branches, PhilHealth branches, and Pag-IBIG offices all shut today. Banks close across the board as well. If you need to process documents or withdraw from a teller, wait until Monday, August 24.
Most malls, supermarkets, and convenience stores stay open. Private hospitals and pharmacies continue operating. Some smaller establishments cut their hours, so a quick call before heading over saves the trip.
Use online portals while offices are closed
Today is a practical time to catch up on tasks you usually put off until you have a free weekday. You can renew your LTO driver’s license online without visiting a branch. If your passport is due for renewal, check the Philippine passport requirements for 2026 now so you are ready when DFA slots open next week. Also, if you need a basic government ID and haven’t gotten one yet, read up on how to get a postal ID, which is one of the simplest valid IDs available.
Always confirm your company’s specific holiday memo before assuming the day is off. Some private employers, particularly those in economic zones or BPO parks, follow different schedules. DOLE rules apply to official national holidays regardless, but your shift may still vary by employer policy.
Ninoy Aquino Day: why the airport carries his name
On August 21, 1983, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. stepped off a plane at Manila International Airport after three years of self-imposed exile in the United States. He knew the risks. He was shot dead on the tarmac before he reached the bottom of the stairs.
The gunman was never officially identified. But Ninoy’s death was the spark that turned isolated opposition into a national movement. His assassination woke up the Filipino middle class, pulled business leaders off the sidelines, and eventually pushed millions of people onto EDSA in 1986. The Marcos dictatorship fell without a single shot fired. The airport where Ninoy was killed now carries his name.
I think about that every time I drive past NAIA or pick someone up from a flight. Most OFWs who leave and come home pass through the terminal named after a man who came home and never made it off the tarmac. There is something heavy about that, even if you are just there for a regular pickup.
My daughter is still young. She knows Ninoy’s name from school, the way I did growing up. But I want her to understand that August 21 is not just a day off. It is a reminder that the freedoms we take for granted (the right to run a business, to speak openly, to vote) were not always there. People fought for them. Some of them died for them. That is worth pausing for, even if the rest of the country treats it like the start of a long weekend.
Before you share that post: a quick warning
Every Philippine holiday brings a fresh wave of fake announcements on social media. Ninoy Aquino Day is no exception, even though it is a quieter occasion.
Watch out for: surprise “additional holiday” declarations that cite no Proclamation number, free electricity offers from Meralco, fake government memos waiving NBI or passport fees, and GCash credit promos tied to the holiday. These posts circulate every year and often look convincing because they copy official logos or mimic government language.
Before you share anything or change your plans based on a post, verify through an official source. The Presidential Communications Office (pco.gov.ph) publishes all official Proclamations. The Official Gazette (officialgazette.gov.ph) lists all government orders. If a post has no Proclamation number, treat it as unverified.
All official Philippine holidays in 2026
Every confirmed Philippine holiday for 2026 is listed below, covering Proclamation Nos. 1006, 1189 (Eid’l Fitr), and 1264 (Eid’l Adha), all issued by Malacañang. For the full official text, see the PNA proclamation release. We update this page for each holiday throughout the year, so it always shows what holiday is today in the Philippines at the top. Holiday names that are links have a full guide published.
Complete 2026 Philippine holiday schedule
| Date | Holiday | Type | Day off? |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 (Thursday) | New Year’s Day | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| February 17 (Tuesday) | Lunar New Year’s Day | Special Non-Working | Gov only; private optional |
| March 20 (Friday) | Eid’l Fitr (Feast of Ramadan) | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| April 2 (Thursday) | Maundy Thursday | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| April 3 (Friday) | Good Friday | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| April 4 (Saturday) | Black Saturday | Special Non-Working | Gov only; private optional |
| April 9 (Thursday) | Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| May 1 (Friday) | Labor Day | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| May 27 (Wednesday) | Eid’l Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| June 12 (Friday) | Independence Day / Araw ng Kalayaan | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| August 21 (Friday) | Ninoy Aquino Day | Special Non-Working | Gov only; private optional |
| August 31 (Monday) | National Heroes Day | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| November 1 (Sunday) | All Saints’ Day | Special Non-Working | Gov only; private optional |
| November 2 (Monday) | All Souls’ Day | Special Non-Working | Gov only; private optional |
| November 30 (Monday) | Bonifacio Day | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| December 8 (Tuesday) | Feast of the Immaculate Conception | Special Non-Working | Gov only; private optional |
| December 24 (Thursday) | Christmas Eve | Special Non-Working | Gov only; private optional |
| December 25 (Friday) | Christmas Day | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| December 30 (Wednesday) | Rizal Day | Regular Holiday | Yes, gov and private |
| December 31 (Thursday) | New Year’s Eve | Special Non-Working | Gov only; private optional |
What is not in this list
Muslim-specific local holidays (Lailatul Isra Wal Mi Raj, Amun Jadid, Maulid un-Nabi) apply to the Bangsamoro region only and are not listed here. Special working days declared by Malacañang, such as First Philippine Republic Day (January 23) and People Power Anniversary (February 25), are not holidays; offices and schools operate normally on those dates. Bookmark this page to quickly check what holiday is today in the Philippines whenever a new one comes around.
Make the most of your day off
You have the day. Make it count.
Check today’s lotto results
PCSO draws run even on regular holidays. If you bought a ticket this week, check the real-time lotto draw results to see today’s winning numbers before the night ends.
Catch up on government tasks online
The offices are closed, but the portals are not. Use today to get ahead of the things you keep putting off. Check your SSS contributions on My.SSS to confirm your employer has been remitting correctly. Verify your PhilHealth contributions online before you need to file a claim. If you want to understand your full SSS entitlements, the SSS maternity benefit guide also covers who qualifies and how to apply online. When offices reopen on Monday, August 24, you will already know what needs fixing.
Plan the ID renewals you keep putting off
If any of your IDs are expiring, today is the right time to figure out what you need. DFA slots fill up fast, so check the Philippine passport requirements for 2026 now and book early. If you still don’t have a postal ID, it’s one of the easiest government IDs to get; read our guide on how to get a postal ID and see how simple the process is.
Review your money while things are quiet
Three days with no work is also a decent amount of time to think about money. Try the Pag-IBIG MP2 savings calculator and see what your monthly contribution actually looks like after five years; most people are surprised. If stocks have been on your mind, our guide on how to invest in the Philippine stock market is a good starting point. And if you’re driving anywhere this weekend, check the latest oil price update first.
Frequently asked questions about Philippine holidays
What holiday is today, August 21, 2026?
August 21, 2026 is a Special Non-Working Holiday: Ninoy Aquino Day, declared under Proclamation No. 1006. Government employees get the day off. Private sector workers may still be required to report, depending on their employer.
Are private sector employees entitled to pay if they don’t work on August 21?
Not automatically. Ninoy Aquino Day is a Special Non-Working Holiday, so the “no work, no pay” principle applies to private sector workers by default. If your employer gives you the day off, you only get paid if your company policy, CBA, or employment contract says so. Government employees are paid regardless.
Are banks open on August 21, 2026?
No. Banks close on special non-working holidays the same way they do on regular holidays. BDO, BPI, Metrobank, UnionBank, and Land Bank are all closed. Online banking and e-wallets (GCash, Maya) remain accessible throughout the day.
Why is August 21 a holiday in the Philippines?
August 21 marks the 1983 assassination of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. at Manila International Airport, now named after him. His death triggered the People Power Revolution of 1986, which ended the Marcos dictatorship and restored democracy. The date is observed as a national holiday to honor his sacrifice.
If my company requires me to work on August 21, how much should I receive?
On a regular workday (non-rest day), you earn 130% of your daily rate for the first eight hours. If August 21 falls on your rest day, the rate goes up to 150%. Overtime earns an additional 30% of your hourly rate on top of that, under DOLE Labor Advisory No. 12-25.
