Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Sec. Silvestre Bello III said in an online press briefing Wednesday, March 3 that it was the right call to cut the number of non-working holidays in the calendar year.
"If we are to improve the productivity of our business, siguro tama yung decision. Mas mabuti na rin na bawas-bawasan natin...in Asia, tayo ang pinaka-maraming non-working holidays (it was probably the right decision. It would better to reduce it...in Asia, we have the most non-working holidays)," Bello said.
The Palace earlier announced that All Souls' Day (November 2), Christmas Eve (December 24), and New Year's Eve (December 31) would no longer be considered non-working holidays.
"Ang mga ito wala namang historical or cultural significance. Dapat holiday, pero working (These neither have historical nor cultural significance. They should be working holidays)," Bello said, referring to the dates.
The labor chief said there's a need to rationalize non-working holidays since there's just too many of them.
"It affects the productivity of business. Malaking bagay yan. Libu-libo o milyun-milyon ang hindi papasok, walang trabaho, walang production. Pero may bayad (That’s a big deal. Thousands or even millions won't report for duty, no work is done, these there's no production. But they still get paid)," he noted.
"Ang (main) consideration dyan ay yung productivity lalung lalo na ngayon may pandemya, kailangang-kailangan natin ng working hours. Kung lilimitahan mo pa in the guise of holidays, non-working public holidays, talagang apektado ang productivity ng ating negosyo (The main consideration there is productivity especially during this pandemic, we really need to log in those working hours. If we limit it in the guise of holidays, non-working public holidays, then the productivity of our businesses would really be affected)," he further explained.