Not a holiday tomorrow for BPOs, electronics industry

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang has exempted the business process outsourcing and electronics industries from tomorrow’s special non-working holiday.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, in an interview over Radyo ng Bayan, said the two sectors requested the exemption through the Department of Trade and Industry.

Remonde explained that the BPOs and electronics sectors both operate on a round-the-clock basis.

Malacañang declared Monday a special holiday to mark the burial of the late Iglesia ni Cristo leader Eraño Manalo.

The announcement, which came last Friday, came with another proclamation declaring the celebration of Islam’s Eid’l Fitr on Sept. 21 a special non-working holiday.

Some businesses have complained about the numerous – and abrupt – holiday proclamations.

In response to such concerns, Mrs. Arroyo issued in July a listing of all of the holidays for 2010.

The advanced announcement is supposed to give businesses enough time to prepare for the days without work and adjust their operations accordingly.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita earlier noted that non-working holidays cost as much as P8 million a day for some big businesses. –Marvin Sy (The Philippine Star)