MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero on Monday said there are no plans to cut down the number of holidays following the online uproar his previous comments stirred.
Last Wednesday, Escudero floated the possibility of combining or reducing the number of holidays, saying there were already too many, which was making the Philippines less productive.
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“Walang issue sa holiday. Ang polisiya ng Senado: ‘wag nang dagdagan ang holiday natin ngayon kasi sobrang dami na pero wala kaming balak bawasan,” Escudero said in a media interview at the Senate.
(There is no issue about holidays. The policy of the Senate is this: do not add to our holidays now because there are already too many, but we have no plans to reduce them.)
Escudero acknowledged that it would be a long and drawn-out process that would outlast the 19th Congress.
He noted that in addition to the 21 national holidays, there are also provincial and municipal holidays, bringing the total number a person could observe to 23 or 25 days.
“We’re granting holidays in provinces that don’t have a holiday yet pero kung mayroon na, ‘wag na nga dagdagan,” said Escudero. (We’re granting holidays in provinces that don’t have a holiday yet, but if there is one, we will not add any more.)
Escudero said the Senate had to deliberate on three holiday bills on that day alone. They had to reject one provincial holiday, as the said province already had two.
Holiday economics is also being considered, as the president could choose to declare a holiday on days that are sandwiched between a holiday and the weekend. This would allow more people to schedule trips and vacations.
Escudero faced backlash from netizens after his comments on holidays were reported. Critics argued that there are more effective ways to enhance Filipino productivity and competitiveness, with some highlighting that the Senate itself takes breaks between sessions.
"Yung holiday, nagkasundo ang Senado na limitahin ang holiday. Mahigit isang buwan na ang holiday sa buong bansa, which makes Philippine companies and workers less competitive," Escudero said last week. (The holidays, the Senate agreed to limit them. Holidays take up more than one month in the country, which makes Philippine companies and workers less competitive.)