The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) yesterday said the government should not add holidays to the existing calendar this year as this could disrupt operations and add cost to business.
In a statement, PCCI president Enunina Mangio said the group supports the promotion of long weekends but this should be balanced without increasing the number of total holidays.
There are 18 scheduled regular holidays this year of which eight are special non-working holidays.
PCCI made this call as government has the propensity to declare as holiday certain dates that are sandwiched between a holiday and a Saturday or a Sunday.
Unscheduled holidays tend to not just disrupt operations but also to add cost to companies which have to pay overtime or holiday pay to their workers.
There will be at least four long weekends this year.
“We recognize that for a consumption-driven economy like the Philippines, long weekends provide benefits such as more opportunities for families for their recreation and social interaction.
Long weekends also encourage domestic travel and potentially increases tourism expenditure. This also adds value to other sectors including retail, food and service sectors. In addition, more time with family and friends can boost well-being and, indirectly, enhance their productivity,” Mangio said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently called on Filipinos to enjoy the long weekends prepare transactions and vacations carefully.
Long weekends beginning March 28 (Maundy Thursday) until April 1 (Easter Sunday).
March 28 (Maundy Thursday) and March 29 (Good Friday) are regular holidays, while March 30 (Black Saturday) is a special non-working day.
There will also be a long weekend from August 24 (Saturday) to Aug. 26 (Monday), since August 26 is declared regular holiday, in observance of National Heroes Day.
Filipinos will also experience another long weekend from November 1 (Friday) to November 3 (Sunday). November 1 and 2 are both special non-working days, in observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days.
Another long weekend is December 28 (Saturday) to December. 31 (Tuesday), since December 30 (Rizal Day) is a regular holiday while December 31 is a special non-working day.
