Employees work on holidays for additional income — labor leader

MANILA, Philippines — A labor leader enumerated the benefits of official holidays amid the Senate’s plan to reduce public holidays.

Senate President Francis Escudero last Wednesday said that the upper chamber is considering trimming holidays to make companies “more competitive.”

Labor leader Leody de Guzman countered Escudero's proposal saying that holidays increase the productivity of workers as they choose to work overtime for additional pay. 

"Sa mga pyesta opisyal, ang mga manggagawa ay pinipiling mag-obertaym para sa dagdag na kita. Ito rin ang pagkakataon para sumigla ang komersyo dahil sa lokal na turismo," De Guzman said in a statement. 

(On official holidays, employees often choose to work overtime for additional income. This period also provides an opportunity for commerce to thrive due to local tourism)

During a regular holiday, workers are entitled to a “double pay” where employer shall pay a total of 200% of the employee's wage for that day for the first eight hours.

The labor leader added that holidays provide workers more time to spend with their families and offer a break from excessive work.

On Aug 10, Escudero clarified that the Senate only wanted to limit the passage of more holiday bills, not to remove existing ones.

“The Senate’s policy is not to reduce holidays – just not add to already several holidays and, instead, rationalize the existing holidays so that these would not be a burden to employers forced to give double pay during holidays,” Escudero said.

“Our only aim is to improve the country’s competitiveness,” he added.

In response, De Guzman said that if the country wants to attract more investments, the government should focus on reducing the costs of commodities and by combatting corruption.

“Kung ang nais ni Chiz ay maging 'competitive' ang bansa sa pag-akit ng pamumuhunan, hindi ang pyesta opisyal ang kailangan niyang bawasan kundi ang singil sa kuryente, ang presyo ng mga bilihin, ang korapsyon na dagdag gastusin sa mga nagnenegosyo, ang bilang ng mga pribadong sasakyang sanhi ng matinding trapik, ang halaga ng nasisira ng mga baha at mga climate-related disasters, atbp,” De Guzman said.

(If Chiz wants to make the country more "competitive" in attracting investments, he should instead focus on reducing electricity costs, the price of goods, corruption that increases business expenses, the number of private vehicles causing severe traffic, the financial damage from floods and climate-related disasters, and other similar issues, rather than cutting official holidays.)