MANILA, Philippines - No more holidays, please.

To avoid loss of earnings for both workers and employers, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday discouraged the declaration of additional holidays.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said having too many non-working holidays could be disadvantageous to both workers and employers, contrary to the perception that it promotes “holiday economics.”

“The loss in disposable income undermines any potential positive effect of longer holidays on the economy,” Baldoz said.

The House of Representatives approved on third reading a bill declaring Sept. 3 every year as National Victory and Liberation Day, while another bill is pending before Congress seeking the proclamation of March 8 as National Women’s Day.

Aside from these, there are eight other bills seeking declaration of non-working holidays pending in Congress, and five more pending in the Senate.            

For this year alone, Baldoz said President Aquino declared 18 holidays, including 12 regular holidays that require double pay for those opting to work, and six non-working holidays that grants 30 percent additional pay.

According to Baldoz, the Philippines currently has the most number of holidays in the Asia Pacific region.

However, Baldoz said, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which comprise a majority of firms nationwide, are not capable of shouldering higher operational costs due to extra pay for workers rendering services during holidays.

Confronted with higher labor costs due to holidays, some establishments adopt measures such as shorter working days to reduce operational costs, which could mean less income for workers.

“For daily paid workers, the opportunity to produce goods of economic value and to earn wage is lost during a special non-working day,” she said.