Last Monday, September 7 was hurriedly declared a Special Non-Working Holiday. But as WOO* I was working nonetheless.

Out for lunch I overheard some people in work uniforms debating the pay treatment for their work that day. "Double ba? Di ba dapat double pay?"

I was compelled to intervene** and said, "Hindi, 130% lang. Yung sueldo nyo para sa araw na ito plus 30%. Yung hindi pumasok, no pay."

I think people get confused with the rules on pay treatment because of how the holidays are labeled - Regular and Special. To common thinking, Special should be given HIGHER PAY because it's special. (Just as Special Halo-Halo is more expensive than Regular Halo-Halo.) The common tao will not think Regular means recurring, nor that Special means not usually.

If I were president I'd change the labels to Yearly/Usual Holidays (which would mean we have it every year, same dates) and Occasional Holidays, those declared on occasion, which dates change according to Malacanang Proclamation.

All in favor say Aye! :)

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* WOO = Wife Of the Owner
** having spent almost six years in Amkor, I found the leaving no-stones-leaving-no-questions unanswered culture hard to shake .