By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter
THE PHILIPPINES could need to benchmark its variety of holidays in opposition to different Southeast Asian international locations, as having “an excessive amount of” holidays could discourage international traders, Nationwide Financial and Improvement Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan mentioned.
“We’re a rustic that’s competing with different international locations for funding. So after all, traders will have a look at productiveness as an element,” he instructed BusinessWorld in an Aug. 15 interview.
“We now have to benchmark our holidays with the norm… You possibly can’t go… distant from it as a result of that may introduce disincentives for our traders.”
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Business (PCCI) claimed the nation has “too many holidays” with a mean of 27 holidays a yr, saying it was not wholesome for companies and the financial system.
The PCCI tally contains particular holidays declared by the Palace, however excludes different provincial and municipal holidays, in addition to work suspension as a consequence of calamities.
As compared, Malaysia has 21 holidays, Indonesia has 17, Singapore with 11, Thailand has 20, and Vietnam has six.
“Have a look at all the yr and when you have a lot, many extra holidays than the choice (international locations) for them, after all, you don’t appeal to (international traders),” Mr. Balisacan mentioned.
Earlier this month, Senate President Francis Joseph G. Escudero mentioned the Senate plans on limiting the approval of payments on native holidays to spice up the nation’s competitiveness. He earlier acquired backlash for floating the potential for combining or chopping the variety of holidays.
Mr. Balisacan additionally famous that not all employees stand to profit from the so-called “vacation economics.”
“The poor will undergo extra from too many holidays,” he mentioned.
In 2022, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. reintroduced the vacation economics coverage, during which holidays are moved nearer to the weekend to stimulate journey and enhance tourism because the financial system opened from the pandemic. This was first launched in the course of the Arroyo administration.
As an illustration, the commemoration of Ninoy Aquino Day this yr was moved from Aug. 21 (Wednesday) to Aug. 23 (Friday) and declared a particular non-working day.
The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham Philippines) additionally helps the discount of some “hero” holidays, citing further prices and scheduling points for companies, AmCham Philippines Govt Director Ebb Hinchliffe mentioned.
For the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (BCCP), the variety of holidays is simply one of many many components that hurts the Philippines’ attractiveness to international traders.
“It’s a issue, however the important thing issue, I’d say, is laws, opening up the financial system, opening up funding to international traders, and likewise, how is the final financial system doing,” BCCP Govt Director and Trustee Christopher James Nelson instructed BusinessWorld through phone.
The federal government’s present legal guidelines already enable workers to work on holidays on the discretion of their employers, in keeping with labor lawyer and Federation of Free Employees President Jose Sonny G. Matula.
“Below present legal guidelines, employers have already got the flexibleness to require workers to work on holidays, supplied they pay the mandatory premium. There isn’t any want… to scale back holidays when mechanisms are already in place to stability the wants of companies with the rights of employees,” he mentioned in a Viber message.
The federal government should concentrate on extra urgent “challenges that significantly impression the productiveness and well-being of our workforce and deserve fast consideration,” Mr. Matula mentioned.
For IBON Basis Govt Director Jose Enrique A. Africa, the productiveness of companies is best measured by expertise upgrading, efficient administration, and normal technological capability.
Mr. Matula mentioned the federal government ought to handle the problems of low wages, heavy traffic, contractualization and job insecurity.
