THE bill allowing long weekends to boost tourism and domestic consumption warrants careful study, according to the National Economic and Development Authority .
“[We have to] make sure that it doesn’t add to the cost of doing business because we know that such holidays entail costs in terms of extra pay,” Edillon said. “We at Neda will do the analysis once the bill gets to us for comment.” On Tuesday, Senator Raffy Tulfo filed Senate Bill No. 1651 amending Republic Act No. 9492 which permits certain holidays to be observed on a Monday.
“Holidays are integral in order to honor and commemorate special events or traditions with cultural or religious significance. The Philippines celebrates 18 national holidays annually, four of which are considered ‘special non-working holidays.’ These aforementioned days may at times fall on a weekend making them feel less celebratory for individuals.