Palace to maintain Holiday Economics law
Malacanang said it will respect the Holiday Economics law that is meant to perk up domestic tourism through long weekends.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in his regular press briefing this morning that he has also received a lot of inquiries about whether the Aquino administration will follow the holiday economics law of the previous administration with respect to the coming death anniversary of his father, Benigno S. Aquino Jr.
“As far as possible, President Aquino does not want to highlight the death anniversary or any anniversary of his parents just because of his position,” Lacierda said.
Republic Act 9492, rationalizing the celebration of holidays, was signed by the former president in July 2007.
The practice of shifting holiday observances was made an official government policy by this law. The law requires that most holidays, except those with religious significance, will be shifted to the nearest Monday.
For August, Aug. 21, the death anniversary of Ninoy Aquino, falls on a Saturday and if RA 9492 will be followed, this means that the holiday will be declared on Monday, Aug.23, which also happens to be a historic event, the anniversary of the Cry of Pugad Lawin.
National Heroes’ Day is always celebrated on the last Monday of August, which will be on Aug 30 for this year.
The “moveable days” are Bataan Day (April 9), Labor Day (1 May), Independence Day (June 12), National Heroes Day (August 31), Bonifacio Day (November 30) and Rizal Day (December 30).
Thus, if Independence Day, June 12, falls on a weekend, it will be celebrated on the following Monday. The same principle applies if June 12 falls on any day except Monday.
Exempted from holiday economics – that is, holidays that will be observed on the date on which they fall – are Christmas Day (December 25), New Year’s Eve (December 31), New Year’s Day (January 1), Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Eid’l Fitre (October 13) and All Saints Day (November 1).
President Corazon Aquino, who coined the term holiday economics, introduced the policy in 2001 to reduce disruption to business and production schedules, encourage domestic tourism and give employees long weekends.
Earlier, the National Statistical Coordination Board said that if tourism and related industries increased by 10 percent as a result of the long weekends, the economy would actually experience a growth of 3.5 percent in gross domestic product.
The employees greatly benefit from this law because employers are mandated to pay 200 percent of the daily rate to employees who report for work on legal holidays – January 1, April 9, May 1, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, June 12, National Heroes Day, Eid’l Fitre, November 30, Christmas Day and December.
On special holidays, employers must pay 30 percent over the regular rate. These are Ninoy Aquino Day, November 1, Election Day, November 30, Black Saturday and holidays that may be declared from time to time by the President.
The law will also benefit the employers because they will be able to plan out their work schedule without interruption as all the holidays are already known unlike now when there are sudden announcements of special non-working holidays which some sectors feel, interrupts business.
There are a total of 11 national regular holidays and three nationwide special days.
Budget for social services to increase in 2011
The proposed 2011 budget of the Aquino administration will provide bigger appropriations for social services like education, conditional cash transfer program, schoolbuilding and healthcare and will be higher than the projected inflation to be more meaningful.
President Benigno S. Aquino III met with his Cabinet Thursday precisely to flesh out the proposed 2011 budget, which it hopes to submit to Congress by Aug. 25, 2010.
In a press briefing this morning, Secretary Ricky Carandang, a member of the Presidential Communications Group, explained that “we are definitely on track and we will be able to submit as promised on Aug.25.”
Carandang emphasized that the 2011 budget “reflects the vision and commitment of the President to strengthen social services through increased budgets and to maintain a fiscally responsible budget.”
He said the budget for 2011 will target a debt to GDP (gross domestic product) ratio of 3.8 percent which is welcome to the business sector and the foreign investors who expressed their desire for a ratio of 3.3 percent.
Carandang also said that the public can now report irregularities and corruption in the financial sector through the website of the Department of Finance at www.perangbayan.com on Facebook and Twitter.
He said Purisima has been on television and radio plugging the website so that the public will have better access to government about their concerns and problems.
Palace welcomes compromise agreement between farmers and Hacienda Luisita
Malacanang welcomed today the signing of the compromise agreement between Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac and its farmers which gives the latter the option to choose whether to get free land or keep their stock distribution option (SDO) in the Cojuangco-owned corporation.
In a media briefing in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Edwin Lacierda said President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed the peaceful solution to the long-standing problem between the Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) and the farmer beneficiaries since negotiations began in 2007.
“Certainly, he welcomes the development that it has been signed,” Lacierda said.
Lacierda said they have been informed that all union members who affixed their signatures in the agreement will cast their vote this weekend at the Hacienda Luisita if they prefer to get land or retain their SDO aside from other benefits.
“What is important here is the peaceful resolution to the problem. And the President leaves it to the management of Hacienda Luisita to settle the problem with the farmer beneficiaries,” Lacierda said.
Earlier, the Supreme Court has set August 18 for both parties to comment on the Luisita land case to determine whether to retain the stock distribution option, or if the land will be distributed to the farmers as directed by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
Lacierda said it is now up to the Supreme Court to rule on the compromise agreement after both parties have already expressed their willingness to settle and all the parties are involved in the settlement.
Lacierda said many farmer beneficiaries want a peaceful resolution to the long-standing problem.
“Let us allow the process to go though before the Supreme Court. Let it be reviewed by the Supreme Court. And if this will be favorably ruled upon by the Supreme Court, this will help settle the problem at Hacienda Luisita,” Lacierda said.
P-Noy bans use of his name and image in gov’t projects
President Benigno S. Aquino III has directed all government officials to refrain from using his name and image on government projects or propaganda materials particularly those funded by the taxpayers’ money.
In a media briefing in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Edwin Lacierda said the President issued the directive during the Cabinet meeting on Thursday at the Bahay Pangarap, the Chief Executive’s official residence inside the Presidential Security Group (PSG) Compound at the Malacanang Complex.
Among the topics during the Cabinet meeting, Lacierda said, were the use of the President’s name and photograph on government projects, and the proposed bill of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero banning the naming of government projects after any public official.
“The President issued the directive to all Cabinet members, heads of agencies and instrumentalities and GOCCs (government-owned or controlled corporations) to refrain from associating the President’s personality and identity in their programs and projects. These agencies, instrumentalities, corporations are advised not to put up tarpaulins, billboards and other propaganda materials bearing the President’s name and image,” Lacierda said.
Lacierda said the President emphasized that he does not want this kind of propaganda because all government projects and programs are being funded by the taxpayers who, instead, should be the ones recognized.
Senator Escudero has filed Senate Bill No. 2187 seeking to criminalize the practice of naming government projects after public officials such as waiting sheds, ambulances and even trash bins saying that nobody should lay claim on public funds and freely spend it for “personal and political vanity."
Palace revokes EO 883 giving lawyers in govt. CESO III ranks
President Benigno S. Aquino III has revoked Executive Order No. 883 of May 28, 2010, which automatically gives lawyers occupying legal positions in government third level career executive service (CES III) ranks as this violates two existing laws, including the Administrative Code of 1987.
Under Executive Order No. 3 signed by the President and co-signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa last July, the President said the 1987 Constitutions states that “appointments in the civil service shall be made only according to merit and fitness to be determined, as far as practicable, and except to positions which are policy-determining, primarily confidential or highly technical, by competitive examination.”
EO 3 also cited the Integrated Reorganizational Plan under Presidential Decree No. 1 which vests upon the Career Executive Service Board the power “to promulgate rules, standards and procedures on the selection, classification, compensation and career development of members of the Career Executive Service (CES).”
De Mesa said it is expected that lawyers will oppose, as it is their right to oppose this EO.
“One thing sure, we came out with this EO, along with other EOs issued thus far, after diligent study and proper consultations with various sectors to be affected by them,” they both said.
De Mesa said he is not sure how many lawyers will be affected by the EO but this move is just meant to clear the mess left by the previous administration.”
