Nation's Longest Holiday in years ends today

Manila Bulletin
January 4,2009
By E. T. SUAREZ

The Philippines’ longest holiday on record, eleven consecutive non-working days throughout the nation starting on Christmas Day, ends today, Jan. 4, 2009.


The long holiday, considered both a boon and a bane to the country’s 31.5 million workers, consisted of three legal holidays, four special holidays, two Saturdays and two Sundays.

It was considered a bane to workers covered by the "no work, no pay" policy because it meant a big reduction in their income, and a boon to those required by the nature of their work such as media people and hospital staff to report for work even on holidays because they are entitled to generous overtime pay.

Majority of the regular workers paid on a monthly basis, meanwhile, enjoyed a long paid vacation without using their vacation leave credits.

The three legal holidays were Dec. 25 (Christmas Day), Rizal Day (Dec. 30) and Jan. 1, 2009 (New Year’s Day). The four special non-working holidays were Dec. 26, 29 and 31, 2008 and Jan. 2, 2009.

President Arroyo declared Dec. 26 a special non-working holiday because it was sandwiched between Christmas Day and Dec. 27, a Saturday, which is a non-working day in government offices and many private companies.

The President likewise declared Dec. 31, 2008 a special non-working day because it was sandwiched between Dec. 30, 2008, Rizal Day, and Jan. 1, 2009, New Year’s Day.

January 2, 2009, meanwhile, also fell between New Year’s Day and a Saturday, Jan. 3.

Many business activities were reported to have been disrupted when President Arroyo declared Jan. 2 a special non-working holiday, since their operations have to wait until January 5 to resume.

The Catholic Church was likewise affected since parishes were not able to get the missalettes for the Sunday mass today because the printing establishments were still closed last Friday.

The Makati Business Club, along with labor and commuters groups, strongly objected to the declaration of Jan. 2 as a holiday, saying eight