THE Philippine government will suspend work in all public offices on Dec. 29 and Jan. 2, 2026, extending the year-end holiday break to allow state employees to travel and participate in New Year celebrations.
Offices providing basic, vital and health services, as well as agencies tasked with disaster preparedness and emergency response, will remain operational during the suspension, the Palace said in Memorandum Circular No. 111 dated Dec. 18.
The policy does not automatically apply to the private sector, leaving it up to company heads to decide whether to suspend work on the two additional days.
The circular takes effect immediately. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana



Market participants are eagerly anticipating at least a 25 basis point (BPS) interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve on Wednesday. The Federal Reserve, the central bank of the United States, is expected to begin slashing interest rates on Wednesday, with analysts expecting a 25 basis point (BPS) cut and a boost to risk asset prices in the long term.Crypto prices are strongly correlated with liquidity cycles, Coin Bureau founder and market analyst Nic Puckrin said. However, while lower interest rates tend to raise asset prices long-term, Puckrin warned of a short-term price correction. “The main risk is that the move is already priced in, Puckrin said, adding, “hope is high and there’s a big chance of a ‘sell the news’ pullback. When that happens, speculative corners, memecoins in particular, are most vulnerable.”Read more