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# Philippines in December 2026: Weather, Simbang Gabi, Holidays
- URL: https://blog.fizen.io/philippines-in-december-2026/
- Published: 2026-10-25T16:32:56.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T16:32:56.000Z
- Description: December is the start of the dry season and the heart of the longest Christmas in the world. The El Nino outlook by region, the typhoon tail, Simbang Gabi and lantern dates, holidays, and how visitors pay and stay online.
- Author: Quinn Dao
- Tags: Travel & Nomad, eSIM, Philippines

**Quick answer:** December is one of the driest, most festive months to visit the Philippines, and 2026 should be drier than usual: PAGASA expects a very strong El Nino and below-normal rainfall over most of the country from October to December. Typhoons are not over, though: PAGASA forecasts three to six tropical cyclones for that quarter, mostly over central and southern Luzon and the Visayas. Simbang Gabi runs 16 to 24 December, and Christmas Day and Rizal Day (30 December) are regular holidays. Sinulog is in January, on 17 January 2027.

**Key takeaways**

- **Drier than normal is likely:** PAGASA's outlook expects below-normal rainfall in most areas from October to December 2026, and way below normal in parts of western Luzon.
- **The typhoon season has a tail:** three to six cyclones are forecast for the quarter, and Typhoon Odette hit Siargao on 16 December 2021\. Book flexible ferries.
- **Five holiday dates to plan around:** 8, 24, 25, 30 and 31 December 2026\. Expect crowded airports and closed government offices.
- **Sinulog is not in December:** it falls on the third Sunday of January, 17 January 2027.

You picked December for the beaches, then found out every Filipino family is travelling the same week, the 4am church bells start on the 16th, and the ferry to your island depends on a storm that has not formed yet. That is December in the Philippines: the best weather of the year in most places, and the busiest calendar. Here is the outlook by region, the dates that matter, and how to pay and stay online as a visitor.

## What is the weather in the Philippines in December 2026?

December is under the amihan, the northeast monsoon: cooler, drier air for the west of the country, and more rain on coasts that face east. This year El Nino tilts it further toward dry.

| Region                                       | December 2026 outlook                                                    | What it means for you                                               |
| -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Metro Manila and western Luzon               | Dry season; way below-normal rainfall forecast in parts of western Luzon | Clear days; Manila normals are 30.3C highs, 24.6C lows, 8 rain days |
| Visayas (Cebu, Bohol, Boracay)               | Below-normal rainfall forecast; a secondary typhoon track                | Mostly good beach weather; watch the forecast before ferries        |
| Palawan (El Nido, Coron)                     | Below-normal rainfall; Coron forecast slightly cooler than average       | Good for island hopping; boats stop when a storm signal is up       |
| Caraga and Davao (Siargao, eastern Mindanao) | Patches of near-normal rainfall, east-facing coasts wetter               | The surf is up, so is the rain; pack a rain shell                   |

The typhoon risk is lower in an El Nino year but not zero. PAGASA expects three to six tropical cyclones for October to December, with most tracks over central and southern Luzon and secondary tracks over the Visayas and northern Mindanao. The reminder is Typhoon Odette (Rai), which made landfall on Siargao on 16 December 2021 and killed about 409 people. For island trips this month, book refundable ferries and leave a spare day before your flight home.

## What happens in the Philippines at Christmas?

The Christmas season starts in September, but December is its peak:

- **Simbang Gabi, 16 to 24 December:** nine dawn masses, usually around 4am, with evening anticipated masses from 15 to 23 December. Outside the churches, stalls sell bibingka, rice cake baked from above and below, and purple puto bumbong with butter, coconut and brown sugar, with salabat ginger tea. Go once, even if you skip the mass.
- **The Giant Lantern Festival, San Fernando, Pampanga:** held in mid-December, with recent competition nights between 14 and 17 December. The 2026 date had not been announced when we checked; ask the city tourism office before you book a day trip from Manila.
- **Noche Buena, 24 December:** the family feast after midnight mass. Many restaurants close early or run set menus, so book or eat early on Christmas Eve.

## Which December 2026 dates are holidays in the Philippines?

Proclamation No. 1006 sets the 2026 calendar. Government offices and many businesses close on these days, and airports, bus terminals and ports are at their busiest in the days around them.

- **Tuesday 8 December:** Feast of the Immaculate Conception, special non-working day.
- **Thursday 24 December:** Christmas Eve, special non-working day.
- **Friday 25 December:** Christmas Day, regular holiday.
- **Wednesday 30 December:** Rizal Day, regular holiday.
- **Thursday 31 December:** last day of the year, special non-working day.

Sinulog, Cebu's big festival, is held on the third Sunday of January, which is **17 January 2027**. If a listing puts it in December or on 18 January, it is wrong.

## What should you sort before you fly?

- **eTravel:** register free at etravel.gov.ph in the days before you arrive and keep the QR code. A site that asks for a fee is not the official one.
- **Small notes:** jeepneys, tricycles and sari-sari stores want small bills. Our guide to [paying for tricycles, jeepneys and sari-sari stores](https://blog.fizen.io/tricycle-jeepney-sari-sari-how-to-pay-philippines-2026/) covers the fares.

## How can visitors pay by QR in the Philippines?

Shops, food stalls and even some tricycle drivers show a QR Ph code. As a visitor without a Philippine bank or e-wallet account, you usually cannot scan it. Fizen QR Pay is built for that gap: travellers and foreigners scan the merchant's QR Ph code, see the amount in pesos, and confirm. It is for cross-border use only, so people who live in the Philippines cannot use it there.

QR Pay is funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain. It does not link to a bank account or take a card, and USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited. Payments go up to US$800 each and US$1,000 a week. The Fizen wallet is self-custody; USDT you move into QR Pay is governed by the QR Pay Terms, so only move in what you plan to spend. More in our guide to [QR Ph for foreigners](https://blog.fizen.io/qr-ph-for-foreigners-philippines-2026/).

## Will your phone work across the islands in December?

Buy and install a travel eSIM at home on Wi-Fi, keep your home SIM on for bank SMS codes, and switch the travel line on after landing. In December that matters at a port when the ferry is cancelled and you need to rebook, or at midnight outside a church looking for your group.

The Fizen Philippines eSIM runs on **Globe, 4G and 5G** (catalog checked 25 October 2026). Fixed plans run from 3 GB for 3 days to 50 GB for 30 days and slow to 128 kbps once the data is used. Unlimited plans run from 3 to 30 days with no speed cap stated in the catalog. Most plans cannot be topped up, and more data means a new eSIM. For two weeks of maps, Grab and photo uploads across islands, 10 GB for 15 days is a sensible size; unlimited suits remote work.

If a verified fault on Fizen's side stops the eSIM working, you get a free 1-for-1 replacement for the length of the trip, or a refund for the days you could not use, handled by a real person in chat. Changed plans? An unused, not-yet-installed eSIM can usually be taken back; eligibility depends on the plan, check Package details or ask chat.

The honest alternative: Globe and Smart tourist SIMs are sold at Manila and Cebu airports and must be registered with your passport. If you want a local number for GCash, deliveries or a long stay, the local SIM is the better buy. New to the app? [New users get US$10 of eSIM credit in the Fizen app's eSIM tab](https://link.fizen.io/s/B3Aenpj7fz?ref=blog.fizen.io).

With that sorted, December is the trip you pictured: puto bumbong outside a church at 5am, and the rebooked boat confirmed from the pier.

## Frequently asked questions

#### Is December a good time to visit the Philippines?

Yes for most of the country. It is the start of the dry season, and PAGASA expects below-normal rainfall in late 2026 because of El Nino. East-facing coasts such as Siargao are wetter, and a late typhoon is still possible.

#### When is Simbang Gabi 2026?

From 16 to 24 December, with dawn masses usually around 4am and evening anticipated masses from 15 to 23 December.

#### What are the Philippine holidays in December 2026?

8 December (special), 24 December (special), 25 December (regular), 30 December, Rizal Day (regular), and 31 December (special).

#### Is Sinulog in December?

No. Sinulog is held on the third Sunday of January. In 2027 that is 17 January.

#### Can tourists pay with QR Ph?

Not with a foreign bank app in most cases. Fizen QR Pay lets travellers and foreigners pay QR Ph codes from USDT on Solana or BNB Chain. Residents of the Philippines cannot use it in the Philippines.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/ee/04eee3a6-7d95-474c-80a5-48f84338363b/content/images/2026/10/philippines-in-december-2026.png) 

#### Land in the Philippines with data ready

Install the Philippines eSIM at home on Wi-Fi and turn it on after landing. Globe, 4G and 5G. Pay by card via Stripe (international Visa or Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay), or with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain in the Fizen app.

[Get your Philippines eSIM](https://fizen.io/esim?ref=blog.fizen.io) 

### Terms and conditions

- **Information only.** This article is information only. It is not an offer or a sale, and it is not travel, legal or financial advice. Weather, holiday, festival and entry details come from the sources listed and can change; check PAGASA and official notices before you travel.
- **For readers in the United States.** This is information only, not an offer or sale, and not advice. Fizen products and services are not offered to US Persons.
- **QR Pay availability.** QR Pay is for cross-border use by travellers and foreigners in Vietnam and the Philippines only, and is not available to residents of those countries in their own country. It is funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain; USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited. KYC applies. Use of QR Pay is governed by the Fizen QR Pay Terms.
- **Data-only product.** The eSIM is data only. It does not include a phone number or SMS. Most plans cannot be topped up (more data means a new eSIM), so size it for the whole trip. Carrier, plan sizes and speeds were checked in the Fizen catalog on 25 October 2026\. Fizen ships new features regularly, so check the app for what is available today.

### Sources

- [PAGASA, Seasonal Climate Outlook July to December 2026](https://pubfiles.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/pagasaweb/files/climate/seasonalclimateoutlook/Seasonal%20Outlook%5FJul-Dec%202026%5FOS.pdf?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [GMA News, very strong El Nino likely from October 2026 to January 2027, 28 July 2026](https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/weather/content/996484/very-strong-el-ni-o-likely-from-october-2026-to-january-2027-pagasa/story/?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Wikipedia, Manila climate table (PAGASA normals 1991 to 2020)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Wikipedia, Typhoon Rai (Odette)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon%5FRai?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Lawphil, Proclamation No. 1006, s. 2025 (2026 holidays)](https://lawphil.net/executive/proc/proc2025/proc%5F1006%5F2025.html?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Wikipedia, Simbang Gabi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simbang%5FGabi?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Wikipedia, Giant Lantern Festival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant%5FLantern%5FFestival?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Wikipedia, Sinulog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinulog?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [eTravel, official Philippine arrival registration](https://etravel.gov.ph/?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Fizen QR Pay Terms](https://docs.fizen.io/fizen-qr-pay?ref=blog.fizen.io)

Weather outlook, holiday and festival dates, entry rules, QR Pay rules and eSIM catalog details checked on 25 October 2026.

### Related reading

- [The Philippines in November](https://blog.fizen.io/philippines-in-november-2026/)
- [Best travel eSIM for the Philippines](https://blog.fizen.io/best-travel-esim-for-philippines-2026/)
- [QR Ph for foreigners](https://blog.fizen.io/qr-ph-for-foreigners-philippines-2026/)
- [How to pay for tricycles and jeepneys](https://blog.fizen.io/tricycle-jeepney-sari-sari-how-to-pay-philippines-2026/)