August 2026 holidays: Two long weekends to mark on your calendar

CEBU CITY, Philippines — There will be two long weekends in August 2026 as two national holidays fall on a Friday and a Monday, giving workers and families two separate three-day breaks for travel, rest, or personal activities.

The first long weekend comes with Ninoy Aquino Day on Friday, Aug. 21, a nationwide Special (Non-Working) Holiday that creates a three-day break from Friday to Sunday (Aug. 21–23).

The second arrives 10 days later when the country observes National Heroes Day on Monday, Aug. 31, a Regular Holiday that extends the weekend from Saturday to Monday (Aug. 29–31).

The holiday calendar gives employees, students, and travelers two opportunities to schedule vacations or family activities without taking additional leave.

Two national long weekends

August 2026 will feature two nationwide long weekends. Ninoy Aquino Day, a Special (Non-Working) Holiday, falls on Friday, Aug. 21, giving Filipinos a three-day break from Aug. 21 to 23 (Friday to Sunday).

Meanwhile, National Heroes Day, a Regular Holiday, falls on Monday, Aug. 31, creating another three-day weekend from Aug. 29 to 31 (Saturday to Monday).

With one holiday falling before the weekend and the other immediately after, Filipinos will enjoy two separate three-day breaks within the same month.

Cebu also marks local holiday

Aside from the two nationwide holidays, Cebu residents will also observe Cebu Charter Day on Thursday, Aug. 6, a Special (Non-Working) Holiday celebrated annually across Cebu Province, including the highly urbanized cities of Cebu and Mandaue and the component cities of Lapu-Lapu, Danao, and Toledo.

Unlike the two national holidays, Cebu Charter Day falls on a Thursday and does not create a long weekend unless employees take leave on Friday, Aug. 7.

Holiday classifications matter

The Labor Code classifies public holidays into regular holidays and special holidays, with each carrying different pay rules for employees who report for work.

National Heroes Day ranks as a Regular Holiday, meaning eligible employees who do not work generally remain entitled to their daily wage under applicable labor rules. Those who report for work must receive 200 percent of their daily wage for the first eight hours.

Meanwhile, Ninoy Aquino Day and Cebu Charter Day fall under the Special (Non-Working) Holiday category.

For these holidays, the “No Work, No Pay” principle generally applies unless a company policy, collective bargaining agreement, or established practice provides otherwise. Employees who work on a special non-working holiday must receive an additional 30 percent of their basic daily wage for the first eight hours worked.

The distinction affects both employees planning their schedules and employers computing holiday pay and ensuring compliance with labor regulations.

After August, Cebu’s next local holiday falls on Sept. 9, when the province observes Osmeña Day, another Special (Non-Working) Holiday commemorating the birth anniversary of former President Sergio Osmeña Sr.

Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.