November carries two connected observances in Philippine schools: a month-long one declared by the education department, and a single day fixed by statute. They are often treated as the same thing.
When is Buwan ng Pagbasa?
All of November. The Department of Education declared November of every year as National Reading Month through DepEd Memorandum 244, s. 2011, issued under then Education Secretary Armin Luistro. The memorandum's title declares November as National Reading Month of every year and set 25 November 2011 as the nationwide Araw ng Pagbasa.
It has been run as a month-long celebration since, framed as part of DepEd's effort to build a reading culture and lift literacy among Filipino learners.
What is Araw ng Pagbasa?
National Reading Day, on 27 November, fixed by Republic Act No. 10556, the Araw ng Pagbasa Act of 2013.
The Act's operative provision is short: 27 November of every year is declared Araw ng Pagbasa, which shall be a regular working holiday.
Note that the statutory date, 27 November, is not the date the 2011 memorandum used. The memorandum named 25 November for that year; the law later fixed 27 November permanently. Reporting in subsequent years has also carried school observance dates that do not match the statutory one, which is a good reason to check the current year's memorandum rather than assume.
Is it a day off?
No. A regular working holiday means work and classes proceed.
This trips people up because the phrase contains the word "holiday". In Philippine usage a regular holiday and a special non-working day both suspend work; a regular working holiday does not. It is a day of observance, not of rest.
Our Philippine school holidays guide sets out which days in the school year are actually non-working, and the distinction between the categories.
Why 27 November?
The Act ties the observance to the legacy of former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., whose birthday falls on that date, while framing the day itself around reading as a shared activity among youth, families and educators, carried out through activities in schools nationwide.
Is there a theme?
Yes, set annually. Past examples include "Pagbasa: Susi sa Magandang Kinabukasan" in 2018 and "PAGBASA: Pag-asa sa MATATAG na Kinabukasan" in 2023.
As with every annual DepEd theme, last year's is not this year's, and a theme found online without a year attached is not usable. Our guide on how to find and read DepEd orders covers going to the current issuance.
How this sits next to Buwan ng Wika
They are separate observances that get conflated because both are month-long, both are Filipino-facing, and both generate school programmes.
Buwan ng Wika runs every August and is about Filipino as the national language. Our Buwan ng Wika guide covers its dates and the significance of 19 August. Buwan ng Pagbasa runs every November and is about reading and literacy.
Different months, different legal bases, different purposes.
Where November sits in the school year
For SY 2026-2027 the second term runs 16 September to 4 December 2026, so National Reading Month falls squarely inside a term rather than near a break. That makes it easier to programme than observances that land beside a holiday.
November also carries several non-working days — 1, 2 and 30 November 2026 — which do affect scheduling. Our school calendar guide has the term structure and the holiday list.
For teachers and parents
- Distinguish the month from the day. November is the observance; 27 November is the statutory date.
- Do not expect a day off. Araw ng Pagbasa is a regular working holiday, so classes run.
- Check this year's theme and date in the current memorandum rather than reusing last year's material.
- Note the November holidays when planning activities, since three fall in the month.
- Keep it separate from Buwan ng Wika. They are different observances five months apart.
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Sources
- LawPhil — Republic Act No. 10556: Araw ng Pagbasa Act of 2013
- Official Gazette — DepEd declares November as Reading Month
- Manila Bulletin — DepEd leads National Reading Month celebration
- SchoolFinderPH — Buwan ng Wika: Dates, Theme, and What Schools Do
- SchoolFinderPH — Philippine School Holidays Guide
- SchoolFinderPH — DepEd School Calendar 2026-2027
Disclaimer: annual themes and school observance dates are set by DepEd memoranda that change each year, and division offices add their own instructions. Confirm with your school head or schools division office before relying on any date or theme here.
