It’s Official: April 10 Is a Regular Holiday

(SPOT.ph) April 10 is a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Eid al-Fitr, or the Feast of Ramadan, the Palace has declared. 

Proclamation No. 514 was issued to "bring the religious and cultural significance of the Eid'l Fitr to the fore of national consciousness." It will also allow the public to join the Muslim community “in peace and harmony.”

What is Eid al-Fitr?

Eid al-Fitr is celebrated at the end of Ramadan, the ninth and holy month of fasting in Islam. This sacred time is used to reflect and meditate, with followers abstaining from food, drink, sexual activity, and anything related to base human desires from dawn to dusk, and so Eid al-Fitr typically means a feast to mark the end of fasting. 

The reason holy dates change annually is because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar—and so it all depends on the moon. Religious leaders declare when Ramadan starts and ends depending on the moon's cycles. This year, Ramadan started on March 12.

Also read: Here's Why Ramadan Falls on Different Dates Every Year

What is a regular holiday?

Employers are obligated to pay workers the normal daily rate on regular holidays.

If an employee reports for work on that day, they should be paid twice the normal daily rate. Overtime work will also have to be compensated with 2.6 times the hourly rate and the number of excess hours.

Those without regular employment such seasonal workers may not be paid the required holiday pay when they are not called to work. If an employee is paid per output, the holiday pay should not be less than the employee's average daily earnings for the last seven working days before the regular holiday.

Also read: How Many Paid Leaves Are Workers Entitled to Under the PH Labor Code?