MANILA, Philippines?As if Filipinos do not have enough holidays already, Congress is proposing to add at least seven more red-letter days on the calendar that would jack up the number of non-working holidays in a year to 23.

Catanduanes Representative Joseph Santiago warned in a statement on Friday that too many holidays could further dampen the country?s economy especially the 24-7 call centers that have to pay a premium for non-working holidays.

"If we must mark additional eventful days via new legislation, we would prefer that they be classified strictly as rest days for schools only, or special working days," Santiago said.

The extra non-working holidays being sought in a bill pending in Congress are February 4 (Philippine-American War Heroes Day), Chinese New Year's Day (movable date), March 18 (Bangsamoro Day), March 22 (Emilio Aguinaldo Day), June 19 (Jose Rizal Day), November 20 (Children's Day), and September 1 (Filipino Family Day).

Santiago said congressmen should listen to the complaints of businessmen already protesting the large number of holidays and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?s holiday economics which seeks to encourage Filipinos to go on long vacations during weekends bookended by non-working days.

The chair of the House committee on information and communication technology said that Business Processing Association of the Philippines and the American Chamber of Commerce would adversely impact on productivity of businesses across all sectors.

Republic Act 9492 and Presidential Proclamation 1699 provide for 11 regular holidays -- New Year's Day (January 1), Maundy Thursday (April 9), Good Friday (April 10), Eid'l Fitr (movable date, depending on Islamic calendar), Araw ng Kagitingan (April 6), Labor Day (May 1), Independence Day (June 12), National Heroes Day (August 13), Bonifacio Day (November 30), Christmas Day (December 25) and Rizal Day (December 30) -- and five special non-working holidays -- Ninoy Aquino Day (August 21), All Saints Day and the day after (November 1 and 2), the day before Christmas (December 24), and the last day of the year (December 31).