Press Release
June 10, 2015

SEN. MARCOS UPHOLDS POLICY VS. NON-WORKING HOLIDAYS, APPROVES 17 BILLS DECLARING SPECIAL WORKING HOLIDAY

Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos, Jr., Chairman of the Committee on Local Government today upheld the standing policy of the Department of Labor and Employment dissuading the declaration of additional special non-working holidays in the country.

This developed as Marcos approved at the committee level 17 bills seeking to declare holidays to commemorate significant historical events in different areas of the country but only as special working holiday, instead of the original proposals for special non-working holiday.

Marcos noted that private businesses have raised objections against declaring additional non-working holidays as they would incur additional cost with payment of holiday premium for their workers without corresponding productivity increase.

In addition, Marcos said that based on studies our country already has the most number of holidays compared to its neighboring countries in the region.

"Those reasons have been cited as the reasons to why DOLE has always taken the position that we do not make anymore non-working holidays," Marcos stressed.

The committee approved the bills after the respective authors agreed to amend their proposals and call instead for the declaration of special working holiday.

Approved at the committee level are the following bills:

1. HBN 5552 - Declaring February 13 a special working holiday in the City of Paranaque.

2. HBN 5051 - Declaring June 19 a special working holiday in the Province of Laguna in honor of the birth anniversary of our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

3. SBN 2630 - Declaring June 19 a special working holiday in the Province of Laguna to be known as "The National Hero's Day."

4. HBN 4799 - Declaring September 1 a special working holiday in the Province of North Cotabato.

5. HBN 4798 - Declaring August 11 a special working holiday in the City of Ilagan, Province of Isabela as "Ilagan City Charter Day."

6. HBN 4797 - Declaring October 31 as special working holiday in the Municipality of Porac, Pampanga.

7. SBN 2386 - Declaring October 31 a special working holiday in Porac, Pampanga to be known as "Porac Day."

8. HBN 4646 - Declaring December 29 a special working holiday in the Municipality of Leon, Iloilo in honor of Captain Jose Calugas, Sr. to be known as "Jose Calugas Day."

9. HBN 4565 - Declaring May 8 as Hermosa Day and special working holiday in the Municipality of Hermosa, Bataan.

10. SBN 2647 - Declaring May 8 as Hermosa Day and special working holiday in the Municipality of Hermosa, Bataan.

11. HBN 3973 - Declaring September 29 a special working holiday in the City of Bacoor, Province of Cavite in commemoration of Araw ng Bacoor.

12. HBN 103 - Declaring June 23 a special working holiday in the City of Bacoor to commemorate its anniversary as a city.

13. HBN 3969 - Declaring June 30 a special working holiday in the City of Imus, Province of Cavite.

14. HBN 3968- Declaring June 21 a special working holiday in Tagaytay City, or "Araw ng Lungsod ng Tagaytay."

15. HBN 3964 - Declaring March 9 a special working holiday in the Province of Abra in commemoration of its foundation anniversary.

16. HBN 3962 - Declaring April 19 a special working holiday in the City of Marikina, to be known as "Marikina Day."

17. HBN 3945 - Declaring July 4 a special working holiday in the Province of Lanao Del Sur.

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