MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared Friday, March 20, 2026, as a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Eid’l Fitr or the end of the Feast of Ramadan.
Marcos made the announcement when he joined members of the Muslim community and leaders from across the country at the Grand Iftar in Malacañang, reaffirming the government’s respect for the traditions and contributions of Muslim Filipinos, according to Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.
As Muslims around the world prepare to celebrate Eid’l Fitr, several countries have already begun announcing holiday schedules for the festival.
The exact date of Eid’l Fitr is determined through the traditional hilal or crescent moon sighting, an important Islamic practice used to mark the beginning of a new lunar month. The Islamic calendar follows the phases of the moon, and if the crescent moon is not sighted, the current month completes 30 days before the next month begins.
Islamic months typically last 29 or 30 days. Since Ramadan in the Philippines began on February 19, 2026, the possible dates for Eid’l Fitr are:
- March 20, 2026 (Friday) – if Ramadan lasts 29 days
- March 21, 2026 (Saturday) – if Ramadan lasts 30 days
Under Proclamation No. 1006, which declares the regular holidays and special non-working days for 2026, the official dates for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha are announced through separate proclamations after their approximate dates have been determined based on the Islamic (Hijri) lunar calendar or astronomical calculations.
SEE ALSO: LIST: Philippine holidays for 2026
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) will recommend to the Office of the President the actual date of the holiday once the moon sighting has been confirmed.
Eid’l Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the beginning of the month of Shawwal. During Ramadan, devout Muslims observe daily fasting from dawn to sunset, devote time to prayer and reflection, and read the Quran, Islam’s holy book.
In the Philippines, the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta (BDI) conducts annual moon sighting activities in various locations to observe the first appearance of the crescent moon that signals the end of Ramadan.
The observance of Eid’l Fitr as a national holiday was institutionalized in November 2002 when former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9177 into law, declaring the first day of Shawwal a national holiday for the observance of Eidul Fitr.
Eid’l Fitr is traditionally celebrated with communal prayers, family gatherings, and acts of charity as Muslims express gratitude to Allah for completing the month-long fasting.
It is one of the two major Islamic celebrations, the other being Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, which commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son in obedience to God and marks the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Muslim Filipinos make up an estimated 6 percent of the country’s population.
— The Summit Express