Pinoys can start planing there 2013 vacations, as Malacanang issued saturday the list of holidays for 2013.

Under Proclamation 459, the Philippines will only get three long weekends next year.

These include weekends preceding Feb. 25, (Monday) which has been declared a special holiday for the EDSA Revolution Anniversary, and Dec. 30 (Monday), which is a regular holiday for Rizal Day.

Holidays declared in observance of the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday (Mar. 28 and 29) also extend the weekend succeeding it.

In 2012, Pinoys had a total of seven long weekends.

The Chinese New Year, which was declared a holiday in 2012, was also not included in the list of holidays for next year.

But Pinoys did not get one less holiday, and may in fact plan extended Christmas trips, as the Palace has declared Dec. 24, 2013 (Tuesday) as a holiday "in order to foster closer family ties and enable our countrymen to observe Christmas more meaningfully..."

Nov. 2 (Saturday) may also be declared a special (non-working) day "without detriment to public interest," the Palace said.

This is "to give full opportunity to our people to properly observe All Saints Day with all its religious fervor which invariably requires them to travel to and from different regions in the country..." it added.

As for the observance of Islamic feasts Eid'l Fitr and Eidul Adha, the Palace said it shall issue proclamations declaring national holidays "after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient."

although the period of debates on the reproductive health bell has ended at the senate, 2 advocates of the bill have challenge one of its mostvocal critics to a debate.

The challenge, posted by ateneo professor Leloy Claudio & writer Miguel Syjuco to Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III is this: a debate on the rh bill and Sotto's alleged plagiarism.

The debate, if sotto accepts the challenge, would pit the team of Claudio and Syjuco against the sen ator and a partner, and would be streamed on the Internet.

If Sotto refuses the chal lenge, the two said in an opne leter on GMA News, then he should let thee Senate vote on the bill.

Sotto, in a privilege speech on August twenty nine, said he was a victim of cyber-bullying . He said criticism against him for copying parts of a U.S. blogger's post for a speech against the RH Bill was an attempt "to kill the mesenger" because Pro-RH advocates could not address his arguments against the bill.

But Pro RH Bill said: We have, over and over and in different venues. What he said in the (turno en contra speech) is nothing new save for some lies. perhaps he hasnt been really paying a tention."

"So, Sen. Sotto, for you to listen to the arguments, accept the challenge of our PRO RH comrades to a tag team debate. Don't hide behind a privilege speech," the note also said.

"In your last privilege speech, you complain ed about cyber-bullying and claimed that your detractors refuse to refute the substantive portions of your turno en contra speeches. Should you accept our challenge, we will do exactly as you requested. Present all your evidence, and we will respond accordingly. If you want a tag-team partner of your own, there is always the [Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines]," Claudio said in his challenge.

Claudio challenged Sotto to a debate last year, which Sotto rejected, saying it would be an insult to Senators Pia Cayetano and Miriam Defensor-Santiago who could defend the bill themselves.

But Claudio told Yahoo! Southeast Asia that Sotto might be more inclined to accept the challenge this time. "He wants people to answer his points (against the RH bill) directly, and that's what the debate does," Claudio said.

Rejecting the challenge would "just prove to the world that he is a hypocrite," Claudio said.

Syjuco, author of "Ilustrado" and who wrote against Sotto in The New York Times said the "debate must occur no later than the day after your final turno en contra speech, and should cap discussion and guarantee voting in the Senate before the end of session. The wheels of democracy must be allowed to turn."

He said that if Sotto refused the challenge, "there’s evidently nothing more to discuss, and you must allow voting on the RH Bill to proceed immediately."

Yahoo! Southeast Asia tried to reach Sotto for comment but he was unavailable. A member of his staff said, however, that his office only found out about the challenge Monday afternoon.

Professor, writer challenge Sotto to an RH debateAlthough the period of debates on the Reproductive Health bill has ended at the Senate, two advocates of the bill have challenged one of its most vocal critics to a debate.

The challenge, posted by Ateneo professor Leloy Claudio and writer Miguel Syjuco to Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III is this: a debate on the RH bill and Sotto's alleged plagiarism.

The debate, if Sotto accepts the challenge, would pit the team of Claudio and Syjuco against the senator and a partner, and would be streamed on the Internet.

If Sotto refuses the challenge, the two said in an open letter on GMA News, then he should let the Senate vote on the bill.

The challenge has spread on Facebook through the Pro RH Bill fan page.

Sotto, in a privilege speech on August 29, said he was a victim of cyber-bullying. He said criticism against him for copying parts of a U.S. blogger's post for a speech against the RH Bill was an attempt "to kill the

messenger" because Pro-RH advocates could not address his arguments against the bill.

But Pro RH Bill said: "We have, over and over and in different venues. What he said in the (turno en contra speech) is nothing new save for some lies. Perhaps he hasn't been really paying attention."

"So, Sen. Sotto, for you to listen to the arguments, accept the challenge of our PRO RH comrades to a tag team debate. Don't hide behind a privilege speech," the note also said.

"In your last privilege speech, you complained about cyber-bullying and claimed that your detractors refuse to refute the substantive portions of your turno en contra speeches. Should you accept our challenge, we will do exactly as you requested. Present all your evidence, and we will respond accordingly. If you want a tag-team partner of your own, there is always the [Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines]," Claudio said in his challenge.

Claudio challenged Sotto to a debate last year, which Sotto rejected, saying it would be an insult to Senators Pia Cayetano and Miriam Defensor-Santiago who could defend the bill themselves.

But Claudio told Yahoo! Southeast Asia that Sotto might be more inclined to accept the challenge this time. "He wants people to answer his points (against the RH bill) directly, and that's what the debate does," Claudio said.

Rejecting the challenge would "just prove to the world that he is a hypocrite," Claudio said.

Syjuco, author of "Ilustrado" and who wrote against Sotto in The New York Times said the "debate must occur no later than the day after your final turno en contra speech, and should cap discussion and guarantee voting in the Senate before the end of session. The wheels of democracy must be allowed to turn."

He said that if Sotto refused the challenge, "there’s evidently nothing more to discuss, and you must allow voting on the RH Bill to proceed immediately."

Yahoo! Southeast Asia tried to reach Sotto for comment but he was unavailable. A member of his staff said, however, that his office only found out about the challenge Monday afternoon.

PH GETS THREE LONG WEEKENDS IN 2013

Pinoys can start planning their 2013 vacations, as Malacanang issued Saturday the list of holidays for 2013.

Under Proclamation 459, the Philippines will only get three long weekends next year.

These include weekends preceding Feb. 25, (Monday) which has been declared a special holiday for the EDSA Revolution Anniversary, and Dec. 30 (Monday), which is a regular holiday for Rizal Day.

Holidays declared in observance of the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday (Mar. 28 and 29) also extend the weekend succeeding it.

In 2012, Pinoys had a total of seven long weekends.

The Chinese New Year, which was declared a holiday in 2012, was also not included in the list of holidays for next year.

But Pinoys did not get one less holiday, and may in fact plan extended Christmas trips, as the Palace has declared Dec. 24, 2013 (Tuesday) as a holiday "in order to foster closer family ties and enable our countrymen to observe Christmas more meaningfully..."

Nov. 2 (Saturday) may also be declared a special (non-working) day "without detriment to public interest," the Palace said.

This is "to give full opportunity to our people to properly observe All Saints Day with all its religious fervor which invariably requires them to travel to and from different regions in the country..." it added.

As for the observance of Islamic feasts Eid'l Fitr and Eidul Adha, the Palace said it shall issue proclamations declaring national holidays "after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient."

Complete list of 2013 holidays:

A. Regular HolidaysNew Year’s Day, Jan. 1 (Tuesday)Maundy Thursday, Mar. 28Good Friday, Mar. 29Araw ng Kagitingan, Apr. 9 (Tuesday)Labor Day, May 1 (Wednesday)Independence Day, June 12 (Wednesday)National Heroes Day, Aug. 26 (Last Monday of August)Bonifacio Day, Nov. 30 (Saturday)Christmas Day, Dec. 25 (Wednesday)Rizal Day, Dec. 30 (Monday)

B. Special (Non-Working) DaysBlack Saturday, Mar. 30Ninoy Aquino Day, Aug. 21 (Wednesday)All Saints Day, Nov. 1 (Friday)Additional special (non-working) days-Nov. 2 (Saturday)-Dec. 24 (Tuesday)Last Day of the Year, Dec. 31 (Tuesday)

C. Special Holiday (for all schools)EDSA Revolution Anniversary, Feb. 25 (Monday)

Under the Labor department's pay rules, employees not working on regular holidays are still entitled to 100 percent of their regular daily rate, "provided that they [they were] present, or [were] on leave with pay on the workday immediately preceding the holiday."

Employee who work on a regular holiday that also fall on their rest days, meanwhile, will be entitled to 200 percent of the daily rate for the first eight hours and an additional 30 percent for additional hours.

On special non-working days, the following shall apply:

"a. If the day is unworked, the 'no work, no pay' principle shall apply unless there is a favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment on a special day even if the day is unworked.

b. If worked, the employee shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the daily rate of 100 percent on the first eight hours of work. In excess of eight hours, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on said day.

c. If the day falls on the employee's rest day and is worked, he/she shall be paid an additional 50 percent of the daily rate of 100 percent on the first eight hours of work. In excess of eight hours, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate."