Chambers of commerce oppose more nonworking holidays
The Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) of the Philippines and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry have asked senators to stop adding more nonworking holidays to the calendar, arguing that additional holidays will damage the Philippine economy. The JFC sent a letter to Senator Francis Escudero, chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts, and Culture, in light of measures filed in Congress declaring July 27 of every year as a special nonworking holiday to commemorate the founding anniversary of Iglesia ni Cristo; the last Monday of January as National Bible Day; and other bills proposing additional holidays. Most firms in the Philippines will have to observe at least 21 holidays annually, compared with 12 in Vietnam, 14 in Malaysia, and 17 in Thailand.
