Christian believers observe Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, in remembrance of the forty days that Jesus spent in the desert before starting his public ministry. Through fasting, prayer, penance, repentance, mortifying the body, almsgiving, and self-denial, Lent is meant to prepare the believer. To emulate Jesus’ sacrifice during His desert journey, people fast and give up some privileges. The Philippines, a largely Catholic nation, observes profound religious customs in observance of Lent and proclaims the Thursdays through Saturdays of Holy Week as National Holidays. Nonetheless, some businesses or employers mandate their employees to report for duty on these days. Below are the required holy week pay rules 2023 if you are going to be working during this holiday.
Are you looking forward to this Holy Week’s five-day extended weekend? It helps to know the holy week pay rules 2023 and how much you expect to earn for working on a holiday especially if you have no plans or must report to work.
A quick recap: Maundy Thursday on April 6, Good Friday on April 7, and Araw ng Kagitingan holiday on April 10 are all regular holidays, but April 8 (Black Saturday) is a special non-working holiday.
DOLE Holiday Pay Guidelines 2023 for Regular Holiday
These are the pay guidelines based on a labor advisory if you’re going to work on a regular holiday, which includes April 6, 7, and 10.
- You will be paid double, or 200% of your normal rate, for the first eight hours if you perform a job on these days.
- You will be paid an additional 30% of your hourly rate, which is calculated as (hourly rate of the basic wage x 200% x 130% x number of hours worked), if you work overtime or more than eight hours.
- If you decide not to work, as long as you report to work or are on an official leave of absence with pay the day before the usual holiday, you are still going to be paid 100% of your wage for that day.
- You will receive an additional 30% of your hourly rate on top of your base pay of 200% if you perform work on a regular holiday which also occurs to be your rest day. The calculation is (base wage multiplied by 200% times 130%).
- You will be paid an extra 30% of your hourly rate on the day in question if you work overtime on a normal holiday which also occurs on your rest day. It can be calculated by multiplying the basic wage rate per hour by 200%, 130%, 130%, and the number of hours worked.
Holy Week Pay Rules 2023 for Special Non-Working Holiday
On April 8, Black Saturday, are you going to work? Keep in mind that it’s a special non-working holiday. Check the following pay guidelines based on our labor laws:
- Unless there is a policy in place giving pay on a special day, “no work, no pay” regulations still apply on the special non-working day.
- You will be paid an additional 30% of your basic wage for the first eight hours of work, or 130% of your basic wage, if you perform work on the specified day.
- You will receive an additional 30% of your hourly pay on the specified day if you work overtime or more than eight hours. The calculation is (hourly rate of the basic salary times 130% times 130% times the number of hours worked).
- You will be paid an extra 50% of your basic salary for the first eight hours, or 1.5 times your basic income for that day, if you provide services on a special non-working day that also occurs on your rest day.
- You will receive an additional 30% of your hourly wage if you work overtime on a designated non-working day that also falls on your rest day. It can be calculated by multiplying the basic wage rate by 150%, 130%, and the amount of hours worked.
The Philippines’ Holy Week
In the Philippines, Holy Week is a time for reflection and celebration of the Tagalog holiday known as “Araw ng Pagninilay.” Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Lenten season, marked the start of this period of reflection. On the other hand, the Lenten Season, known as kwaresma in the Filipino language, is a time for people to reflect and remember Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection. It also serves as a prelude to the Easter Sunday celebration. During this season, Christians are expected to follow 40 days of Lent in order to emulate Jesus Christ’s suffering and 40-day desert fast. Christians do this because the final week of Jesus’ life contains so much information about Him.
Palm Sunday
During Palm Sunday, people are gathered, shouting praises and waving palm branches in remembrance of Jesus’ triumphal arrival into Jerusalem. In the Philippines, people who attend mass bring lukay, palaspas, or palm leaves for the priest to bless.
Monday to Wednesday
Jesus was anointed in Bethany on Monday, he foretold his own death on Tuesday, and Judas planned his betrayal of Jesus with the high priests on Wednesday.
Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, which is marked by prayer, abstinence, and alms giving. Lent is also a time for people to reflect on their lives and the sins they have done. Actually, it serves as a reminder of human mortality and the importance of prayer to God. As is customary during pre-pandemic times, the palm leaves from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebrations are burned, and the ashes from them are applied to the foreheads of Catholics as a symbol of repentance. The day before Ash Wednesday, the parishes typically burn these palm branches.
Holy Thursday
The Last Supper, when Jesus established the practice of Holy Communion, is remembered on Maundy Thursday. Jesus also foretold His own death and resurrection as well as Peter’s betrayal. Filipinos attend various churches to mark this day and pray at the Stations of the Cross.
Good Friday
On Good Friday, people remember Jesus’ crucifixion and death. Some followers perform the crucifixion by voluntarily allowing themselves to be nailed to a cross as a form of penance. Yet, the most popular method is to observe silence by shutting off technology and keeping speech to a minimum.
Holy Saturday
The Gospel records that Jesus was interred in a cave tomb on Holy Saturday following his crucifixion. By this time, businesses, malls, and stores in the Philippines are still open during regular business hours.
Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday commemorates Jesus’ Resurrection. Christians are glad that Holy Week has come to an end. In the Philippines, a dawn mass known as Salubong, in Tagalog, welcomes the day.
Many business establishments are closed on these regular national holidays or operate with shortened hours. During this time, even some local radio stations and television stations go off the air. But others cut back on programming and run Lenten drama show specials, biblical and inspirational programs, and news stories on diverse Lenten customs and rituals. Throughout Holy Week, local television channels typically follow a special schedule.
List of Holidays this 2023
The schedule of regular and special non-working holidays for 2023 was already released by the Palace. So knowing the dole holiday pay guidelines 2023 will benefit you if you want to compute ahead your holiday pay instead of traveling.
According to President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Jr.’s Presidential Proclamation No. 42, which was signed on August 22 of last year, the country will enjoy 10 regular holidays and 7 special non-working holidays. For 2023, the following days have been designated as official holidays and special occasions:
Regular Holidays in 2023
- New Year’s Day is January 1 (Sunday).
- Sunday, April 9 is Araw ng Kagitingan.
- Maundy Thursday is on April 6.
- Good Friday is April 7th.
- Labor Day is on May 1 (Monday).
- Independence Day is on Monday, June 12.
- National Heroes Day is on August 28 (the final Monday in August).
- Thursday, November 30 is Bonifacio Day.
- Monday, December 25, is Christmas Day.
- Rizal Day is on December 30 (a Saturday).
Special Days Off from Work
- Saturday, February 25, is the anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.
- Black Saturday is on April 8th.
- Monday, August 21 is Ninoy Aquino Day.
- Wednesday, November 1, is All Saints’ Day.
- Friday, December 8 is the Immaculate Conception of Mary Day.
- Sunday, December 31: The last day of the year
Things a Remote Worker Can Do During Holy Week to Advance Their Career
Not everyone has a regular paying job, right? So for those who are remote workers or do not have employers that will require them to work during the holy week, then this part is for you. We may still be busy while honoring our traditions as we observe the Lenten season. After all, it might be the last opportunity you have to escape your busy schedule. Why not simply devote your time in developing your career as a remote worker?
And here are 5 things that remote workers can do to advance their careers this Holy Week.
1. Open a Book
How recently have you read a book? Never for some of us. It could be a good idea to get going now. Books are excellent resources for learning from the experiences and knowledge of others without having to make mistakes yourself. Would you want to create your own set of leadership laws or simply read John Maxwell’s book on leadership? Your job as a remote worker will undoubtedly soar to new heights as a result of your newly acquired knowledge.
2. Enroll to New Courses
In order to remain competitive in the remote working industry, we should enhance our abilities. More and more knowledge can be acquired quickly for a few dollars or even for nothing. If you have the time, you might want to enroll in some online courses to hone your skills for your clientele. Here are some trustworthy resources for learning about freelance jobs and remote working. You might even charge extra now that you have more knowledge because you can offer your clients more.
3. Follow Influential People in Your Field
Have you ever desired a career mentor? Why not utilize your free time to learn from experts in your field? To stay informed when new trends emerge, you can search for their blogs and videos. You can also join discussions, Reddit threads, or Facebook groups. Check out some of the resources on remote working below. With this, you can be certain that you’ll be informed about the issues to watch out for in your work directly from the professionals.
4. Think about your passion
We can spend more time on the things that really matter when we work remotely. It may be for your loved ones or personal endeavors. But have you recently given any thought to your passion projects? Even if it has nothing to do with your present remote employment, if you are clinging to something greater than yourself, you will be more productive in both your passion and your current work.
5. Rest
You want to accomplish something, right? Why sleep, you ask? Don’t be frightened to take a nap. Our schedules are so busy that often all we need to do is rest. Your mind and body can unwind with enough sleep, allowing you to prepare for the upcoming workdays. It acts as a reset. After a well-deserved holiday, you’ll feel renewed and ready to work harder the next few days.
The week leading up to Easter is a time for introspection. But, nobody is preventing you from using it productively. Again, it helps to know the holy week pay rules 2023 if you have no plans or must report to work. But also bear in mind that you’re allowed to rest as rest also qualifies as a productive activity. Enjoy your solemn Holy Week, then!
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