Palace open to reduce holidays-Business Mirror

MALACAÑANG said on Wednesday it is open to the proposed reduction in holidays this year to help the business sector cope with the global crisis, but this would be subject to tripartite conferences and an amendment of the Holiday Rationalization Act.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said in a news briefing that while the Executive understands the appeal of the business sector, preset holidays for the year “cannot be changed just like that.”

“The government is open to all positive suggestions and, therefore, this should be better discussed in the tripartite council where government, management and labor are represented,” Remonde said.

He added that the proposed reduction in nonworking days would also require an amendment of Republic Act 9492, which provided for the rationalization of national holidays and declared certain days as special or regular holidays.

“Aside from being subjected to a tripartite conference, as I think is always practicable, necessary amendments have to go through Congress,” Remonde said.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry is urging the government to reduce the number of holidays and to amend the law that requires employers to pay double for holiday work, given the expected slowdown in business due to a global recession.

Malacañang had earlier declared the regular holidays and special nonworking days for 2009, which would provide for at least two long weekends this year.

The President, however, would sometimes opt to declare more nonworking days as she saw fit, such as when she declared January 2 as an additional nonworking holiday this year, after leaders of labor and employer groups agreed to it, as it was sandwiched between January 1, a regular holiday, and a Saturday.