The Philippine Embassy in Washington announced on its website that it will be closed on September 3, Monday.

"The Embassy will be closed on Monday, 3 September 2012, in observance of Labor Day, a United States holiday," it said in an advisory.

Filipinos in emergencies who need assistance from the Embassy while it is closed may contact telephone numbers 202-368-2767 or 202-467-9300, it added.

Labor Day in the US is observed on the first Monday in September, and is a national holiday.

It is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers and constitutes "a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being" of the country, the US Department of Labor said.

The DOL said the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union.

In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities. — BM, GMA News