"Please Respect Our Holidays and Special Celebrations" (A request to any presidential candidate)

Dear Mr. "Presidentiable":

You are assured of our votes. Please look into this.

Here's one that has affected the lives of many BPO workers, especially those who brave the grave yard shift.

Last December 24, I was touched, to see a family, a seven year old kid with his parents, celebrate "noche buena" in the parking area of a BPO. Since the mother had to spend the whole night in the call center, they have decided to just celebrate the noche buena during her lunch break that night, which is usually at 12-1am, for those who work for an American account.

I thought I'd only see this in a TV commercial.

I was lucky, I work for a British account, so I would normally be out at 1am, but my "early out" request was miraculously granted that night since there were few calls anyway. I was out at exactly 12am that night, and I was hurrying home to catch the Christmas spirit with my loved-ones.

You know the BPO employees have to work during Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, All soul's day, and even Good Friday.

By the way, do you know that we also cannot celebrate our birthday with our family if it is not on our day-off, and we also can hardly get a bereavement leave in the event of our loved-ones' death. We are mostly at the mercy of our supervisors to get an approval for an unplanned special leave.

We Filipinos value our traditions and customs very well. Since we are very spiritual people, our customs and traditions have deep religious roots. And we also make our traditions an occasion to strengthen family ties. These are very strong Filipino values that make us who we are.

Yes, we do get paid double for rendering work during holidays, but we can never leave our work on that special day.

Our work is not like those of the police or doctors or firemen. Our work is not a matter of life and death.

I think its time the BPOs respect our holidays and local celebrations. Holiday work, though paid double, should be made voluntary only. Those who want to spend Christmas or New Year with the family should be accorded the right to do so.

The BPOs have been enjoying the cheap labor our country has willingly given for the past decade or so.

It's time they give back.

Sincerely,

Me

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