INCREASING the number of holidays in the Philippines would make the country less competitive than its Southeast Asian neighbors and may turn away much-needed foreign investment, a labor official said Thursday.
Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said she was opposed to legislative proposals to add up to 10 national holidays to the 18 non-working holidays already being observed in the country.
She said local non-working holidays and work stoppages caused by natural calamities were already hampering productivity and increasing costs.
The foreign chambers of commerce complained in 2010 that the many paid holidays plus the country’s high labor costs compared with the region had “adversely affected” the Philippines’ business competitiveness.
The Philippines has for years lagged other Southeast Asian countries in attracting foreign direct investment that could boost industry and jobs, partly because of widespread corruption in government.
The country attracted less than $2 billion of foreign direct investment in 2010 compared with nearly $9 billion for Malaysia, some $12 billion for Indonesia and about $39 billion for Singapore. AP
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
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 #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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