The Senate has reached a consensus to limit the approval of bills creating local holidays, aiming to enhance the competitiveness of Philippine businesses and workers, according to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
In a press briefing, Escudero explained, “The Senate agreed to limit holidays. There are already over a month of holidays across the country, which makes Philippine companies and workers less competitive.” He noted that the Philippines has numerous local holidays in addition to national and religion-related holidays, leading to reduced productivity.
Escudero pointed out that countries like the United States consolidate their commemorations, such as combining all presidential honors into a single Presidents’ Day. “We don’t do that here. We have separate holidays for each hero, like Araw ng Kagitingan and National Heroes’ Day,” he said.
The Senate President also mentioned that a study on the U.S. holiday format is underway, though he acknowledged potential disagreements among lawmakers on this issue. “It could cause division, but we don’t need to do it immediately—just start the process,” he added.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma weighed in on the proposal, recognizing both positive and negative impacts. “We know that too many holidays affect productivity. On the other hand, those who work on holidays benefit from additional incentives,” Laguesma said.
However, labor group NAGKAISA opposed the move, emphasizing that holidays provide workers with essential breaks from their daily routines. Chairperson Sonny Matula urged Congress to prioritize more pressing issues such as addressing Metro Manila’s traffic problems and job insecurity in the country.
“Instead of reducing holidays, our senators and representatives should focus on the pressing concerns of workers, like pushing for the ?150 national wage recovery and addressing wage discrimination,” Matula said. “Contractualization is another major cause of stress that needs immediate attention,” he added.