Palace proclaims May 12 national holiday for midterm elections
MANILA – 6 May 2025 — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has issued Proclamation No. 878, declaring Monday, 12 May 2025 a special (non‑working) holiday nationwide to ensure every Filipino voter has ample time to participate in the 2025 national and local polls. (Philstar Life)
Signed on 6 May by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on behalf of the President, the proclamation states that suspending work and classes for the day will “enable the people to properly exercise their right to vote.” (Manila Standard)
Who’s voting and for what
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) expects about 68.4 million registered voters to head to precincts on 12 May. They will elect 12 senators, 316 House members, and thousands of provincial, city, and municipal officials. (Philstar)
Labor and business advisory
As a special non‑working day, the holiday falls under the Department of Labor and Employment’s “no work, no pay” principle. Employees who report for duty must receive at least 130 percent of their daily wage, while those who stay home are typically unpaid unless company policy or collective bargaining agreements say otherwise. (Wikipedia)
Operational adjustments
Transport agencies are preparing longer operating hours, and Comelec has urged voters to double‑check their precinct assignments using the online precinct finder to avoid election‑day congestion. Local governments will post copies of Proclamation 878 on public bulletin boards, while the Official Gazette has published the full text online for reference. (Log in or sign up to view)
