MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Imagine working ten hours a day, but just four days a week. Imagine having a three-day weekend year-round, not including an extra day during holiday weekends!

Voting 17-0, the Philippine Senate approved on Monday a bill filed by Sen. Joel Villanueva that would allow Filipino workers to enjoy more flexible work schedules.

Under the proposed law, employees can opt out of rendering eight hours of work for five days a week. Instead, they can craft a “mutually agreed voluntary work arrangement” with their employer.

Workers may choose to serve longer hours for a fewer number of days as long as they can meet the prescribed workweek time frame, which is usually 40 hours.

Upon hearing the news, malls and shopping centers praised the Senate for the legislation.

A spokesperson for SM Malls told The Adobo Chronicles that if signed by the President,  the new law would mean bigger profit since consumers will have an extra day to shop or eat out at restaurants in the malls. A similar sentiment was expressed by the management of Ayala Malls.

Operators of beach and other recreation resorts said they couldn’t be more happy about the proposed law.

For the first time in Philippine history, a bill passed by the Senate has received overwhelming, if not unanimous support from the Filipinos.

Anything that brings in more money or more time for the Filipinos’ favorite pass time — hanging out in airconditioned malls!