IF you are of a certain age—a senior citizen identification card qualifies—then you remember it was not too long ago that local Philippine television went dark long before the midnight hour. You will also recall those tall UHF antennas all over Metro Manila to receive the broadcasts from the Far East Network (FEN) and American television. There may be a whole generation of Filipinos who improved their English language skills from watching I Dream of Jeanine.
The streets of the metropolis were empty late in the evening back then. To travel the length of the South Luzon Expressway cost only a few pesos. Of course, that road also flooded waist deep and was not passable during a typhoon.
But we are now well into the 21st century. Television and the Internet run 24/7, as well as fast food and ramen restaurants. There is even the occasional late-night traffic jam well out to the normal rush hours. Christmas music starts just as early in the malls and supermarkets as it used to be, but now that supermarket may be closed only long enough to restock the shelves.
One other thing that seems not to have changed in the past 30 years is the large number of public holidays in the Philippines. Officially, we rank No. 4 in the world for the most days off with 18, the same as Columbia. Sri Lanka tops the list with 25, followed by India (21).
No one is going to have any problem with having a national non-working day to commemorate an historical event or even a religious celebration. The fact that the Philippines has more of these days than many other countries may only be an indication of our rich history and cultural diversity. And the fact that the Philippines has 18 holidays, and Indonesia, Chile and Slovakia have 14, is not a significant difference.
The problem arises with all the nonworking and “classes canceled” days that come up due to immediate circumstances. In the interest of both public safety and public convenience, these have to happen. Certainly, there are going to be mistakes made, or errors in judgment. How many times were classes canceled due to “bad weather” only have a bright sunny day?
However, there is no reason to create man-made situations that force nonworking holidays. The person who signed off on holding the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings in Metro Manila should be required to direct traffic in the middle of Edsa starting November 13th, and be personally responsible for the billions of pesos of lost productivity during “Asean Week.”
Maybe that’s too harsh and we are only expressing our own frustrations. Security concerns, as well as the logistical challenge of accommodations and meeting venue, could only be overcome by holding the events here.
Nevertheless, the thought of closing the banking system and the Philippine Stock Exchange for most of a week is far too much to bear. There is only one government agency—the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)—that is responsible. Shutting down the BSP is not the same as cancelling classes or not being able to renew your driver’s license.
The decision of the BSP to keep the banking system fully functioning during the November 13 to 15 government office shutdown finally shows some common sense. The decision to close the nation’s banking facilities should only be taken occasionally and only under the most serious of circumstances.