The Philippine government on Tuesday declared a unilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels in observance of the year-end holidays, reported dpa.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the four-day truce with the communist guerrillas would take effect December 24 and 25 in observance of Christmas Day, and from December 31 to January 1, 2009 to mark the New Year.
But he said government forces would remain on alert against attacks by rebels despite the ceasefire declaration.
Peace talks between the Philippine government and the communist rebels have been stalled since August 2004.
Efforts to revive the negotiations collapsed last week after the rebels rejected the government's precondition that a ceasefire be in place while the talks continued.
Communist rebels have been fighting the Philippine government since the late 1960s, making the movement one of the longest-running leftist insurgencies in Asia.