BY IME SORNITO and MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO City – Recent suggestions that the government reduce the number of holidays have stirred varied opinions among the Ilonggos.
The country currently observes 25 local and national holidays.
Michel Balintong, a 35-year-old employee at an insurance company in Capiz, cited the benefits of having multiple holidays.
“The holidays are my only chance to catch up on rest since I only get one day off per week. If we work on a holiday, the double pay helps significantly with our income,” Balintong said.
However, he acknowledged that the abundance of holidays can sometimes lead to fatigue.
Venice Librando, a 26-year-old call center agent and breadwinner of her family, opposes any reduction in holidays.
“We hardly get any breaks, and the holidays are when we can really make up for our wages, especially with double pay,” Librando noted, emphasizing the financial relief it brings.
In contrast, Guia Moreno, a 31-year-old teacher, sees both sides of the issue. “While having multiple holidays can give students time to complete projects and assignments, it disrupts our lesson plans significantly, which is a disadvantage,” Moreno shared.
Jessa Camacho, a 25-year-old private employee from Jaro district, prefers having more holidays, stating, “More holidays mean more rest from work, and it doesn’t affect my income since we get paid regardless.”
Conversely, Ruby Joy Mantilla, a 19-year-old college student, and Analyn Hablo, a 54-year-old food vendor, both expressed concerns over the impact of numerous holidays on their studies and business, respectively.
“More holidays mean more days without classes, which affects our learning,” Mantilla pointed out.
Hablo added, “Fewer holidays would mean more students around to buy food, boosting my sales.””
Alias Arnold, a jeepney driver on the UNGKA-Jaro CPU route, echoed this sentiment from a transport perspective: “Regular class and workdays mean more passengers; holidays slow down our income significantly.”/PN
