reaction paper: Aquino decrees fewer holidays in 2011

Diane D. Penados
BSC - MA 3D
12:25 - 1:25pm


Aquino decrees fewer holidays in 2011

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino on Tuesday cut the number of paid holidaysnext year amid complaints from foreign business groups unhappy over mounting overtime pay.

"The point, number one, is to pay the proper respects, and number two it reduces disruptions on the economy," he told reporters after decreeing that only 16 public holidays should be observed next year, down from 21 this year.

He said the Philippines tended to go off work even when it was not observing religious holidays or the death anniversaries of heroes, such as when a regular working Friday or Monday is sandwiched between a holiday and the weekend.

Seven foreign chambers of commerce issued a report earlier last week that concluded too many holidays were forcing many potential investors to avoid the country while raising costs for employers by tens of millions of dollars.

Filipino workers had 21 public holidays this year, compared with nine in Vietnam, 11 in Singapore and 12 in Taiwan, said the study.

The business groups also took issue with the fickle and unpredictable nature of the holiday declarations, which they noted were sometimes made on very short notice, disrupting work schedules and increasing corporate costs.

Under the law, employees who are required to report to work on legal holidays must be paid double, while the rest will be paid while staying at home and producing nothing for their employers.

Aquino denied Tuesday that he had given in to the business lobby, insisting he was given three options by his advisers on how to deal with the country's many holidays.

"I chose the one that didn't disrupt our people's ability to make a living for themselves," he said.

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/12/21/10/aquino-decrees-fewer-holidays-2011

Fewer holidays for the year 2011 would definitely affects the tourism of the country and the production and operations of different companies. As what I have read in this article from 21 days of public holidays it will be reduced to 16 days. Last year we have a lot of holidays which was enjoyed by Filipino’s, some holidays that falls to weekdays were transferred to either Monday or Friday, this is what the previous president called as the economic holidays. 

This decree has positive and negative effects in the economy of our country. The negative is for next year the tourism may decrease due to this decree that our president has implemented and some employees will not be going anymore to beach because there will no long weekends. And for the positive effect the productions of the companies would be more productive and profitable. It will be productive because their work will go straight and be more profitable for they have many days for work than holidays as what I have learned from my teachers before Businessmen hates holidays for their production and operation will be affected and profitable in a way that the paid holidays will be cut so the company’s profit will increase.

As a student I have nothing against this new decree because this would not only benefit me but the entire Filipino. This will help our country and companies who provided our countrymen works to be more efficient for the number of days for work is longer compare to year 2010 that we had 21 paid holidays.