Malacanang has declared October 31 a special non-working day

Malacanang has declared October 31 a special non-working day to give Filipinos more travel time during the traditional commemoration of the dead.

In Proclamation 265 signed by Executive Secretary Pacquito Ochoa, October 31, Monday, is declared a holiday throughout the country.

This is to "give full opportunity to our people to properly observe the day with all its religious fervor which invariably requires them to travel to and from different regions of the country," the proclamation noted.

All Saints Day on November 1, Tuesday, has earlier been declared as Special Non-working Day.

People who work on regular holidays are entitled to 200 percent of their basic wages for the first eight hours.

In excess of eight hours, the employer must give an additional 30 percent of the worker’s wage on an hourly basis.

If an employee is not working on the said days, he or she is still entitled to 100 percent of his or her regular daily rate, “provided he or she was present, or was on leave with pay on the workday immediately preceding the holiday.”

Meanwhile, if an employee works on a holiday that also falls on his or her rest day, he or she is entitled to 200 percent of the daily rate for the first eight hours and an additional 30 percent for additional hours.