No more holidays, contact centers plead

Published by rudy Date posted on January 22, 2011

CONTACT centers want the government to strictly implement its calendar of non-working holidays to ease labor costs.

Contact Centers Association of the Philippines president Benedict Hernandez told reporters in a recent interview that the group hopes the government would strictly follow the 10 regular holidays and five special, non-working holidays it has earlier declared.

“Having just 15 holidays this year will significantly reduce our labor cost,” Hernandez said.

He added that last year’s 22 to 23 holidays had resulted to numerous double pays for contact centers that required their employees to report for work even on holidays. Contact centers are mostly serving international clients that follow a different set of holidays.

“Labor cost comprises bulk of our expenses,” he said.

Malacañang declared the following as regular holidays: New Year’s Day, Jan. 1; Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), April 9 (Saturday); Maundy Thursday, April 21, and Good Friday, April 22; Labor Day, May 1 (Sunday); Independence Day, June 12 (Sunday); National Heroes Day, Aug. 29 (last Monday of August); Bonifacio Day, Nov. 30 (Wednesday); Christmas Day, Dec. 25 (Sunday); and Rizal Day, Dec. 30 (Friday).

Special non-working days include: Ninoy Aquino Day, Aug. 21 (Sunday); All Saint’s Day, Nov. 1 (Tuesday); and Last Day of the Year, Dec. 31 (Saturday).

Special holiday for all schools is the Edsa Revolution Anniversary on Feb. 25 which falls on a Friday.

Meanwhile, Hernandez said the group is strengthening its efforts to introduce the Philippine call center industry to the United Kingdom.

“They still don’t know much about the Philippines,” he said. “But we are trying to convince them that our country is a good outsourcing destination,” he added. –Jeremiah F. de Guzman, Manila Standard Today

24-31 Oct – Global Media and Information Literacy Week

“Unions in Digital Literacy:
Building a Better Future”

Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.

Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!

#WearMask #WashHands
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#Coronavirus in Phl

October –

01 Oct – Intl Day of Older Persons
02 Oct – World Statistics Day
02 Oct – International Day of Non-Violence
05 Oct – World Teachers’ Day
07 Oct – World Day for Decent Work
10 Oct – World Mental Health Day
11 Oct – International Day of the Girl Child
13 Oct – Intl Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
15 Oct – International Day of Rural Women
16 Oct – World Food Day
17 Oct – Intl Day for the Eradication of Poverty
24 Oct – Global Media & Information Literacy Week
24 Oct – United Nations Day
24 Oct – Disarmament Week
24 Oct – World Development Information Day
31 Oct – World Cities Day

Monthly Observances:
Industry and Commerce Safety Month
National Statistics Month
Local Government Month
Consumer Welfare Month
Cooperative Month
Natl Quality & Productivity Improvement Month
National Health and Wellness Tourism Month
National Indigenous Peoples Month
Weekly Observances
Week 1: Elderly Filipino Week
Week 2: National Health Education Week
Local Government Week
National Mental Health Week
October 17-23:
National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty
October 18 – 24: United Nations Week
Last Week: Nurses’ Week
Consumers’ Protection Week
Week of the 4th Sunday:
Barrio Farmers’ Week
Daily Observances:
First Monday (Oct 4): Universal Children’s Day
in the Philippines
Oct 4: Kindness to Animals Day
Oct 5: National Teachers’ Day
Oct 10: Local Government Day
Third Thursday (Oct 14): Conflict Resolution Day
Oct 21: Tenants’ Emancipation Day
Oct 24: United Nations Day
Oct 29: National Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Day