President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a proclamation reducing the number of holidays this 2021..
Filipinos should expect fewer non-working days this year as three dates that have long been traditional holidays are now “special working days” in order to help the economy recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Proclamation 1107, the President made the following days as “special working days.”
• Nov. 2, 2021 – All Souls’ Day
• Dec. 24, 2021 – Christmas Eve
• Dec. 31 – New Year’s Eve
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The three dates were previously special non-working holidays.
“For the country to recover from the adverse economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to encourage economic productivity by, among others, minimizing work disruption and commemorating some special holidays as special (working) days instead,” Duterte said.
Duterte previously lamented that the Philippines is losing Php2 billion a day due to the restrictions imposed against COVID-19.
“According to the Secretary of Finance, araw araw ngayon hanggang matapos ‘tong COVID, araw araw we are losing P2 billion na pera para sana ‘yun sa mga tao,” Duterte said in a speech on Monday night.
Duterte said that the Filipinos could’ve started earning money but the economy itself prohibits them to do so.
“The workers, the Filipino workers would have earned that money kung ang ekonomiya natin gumagalaw,” he added.
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The National Economic and Development Authority said that Filipinos lost Php1.4 trillion in 2020 due to quarantines.
“Lahat ng bayan ngayon ng buong mundo, bagsak. Talagang bagsak. Tayo, maganda na sana. No’ng hindi dumating ‘yung COVID we were doing fine. Hindi naman very good. We were doing good. Tapos dumating ‘yung COVID. Walang kita,” Duterte said.
The Philippines also recorded a -9.5% gross domestic product in 2020 — the worst economic statistic recorded in the history of the Philippines since 1947. (TDT)
