Cebu City commemorates Araw ng Kagitingan today

The Cebu City government will join the nation in commemorating Araw ng Kagitingan today in honor of the soldiers who fought to defend the country from the Japanese during World War II.

The city’s Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission had set a Mass at 7:30 a.m. at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church grounds, then a brief program at the war veterans’ marker.

The program includes a 21-gun salute and flower offerings to honor the war veterans, led by Region-7 Veterans Federation of the Philippines deputy vice president Ret. Col. Manuel Segura, who is also set to deliver a message about the relevance of the celebration.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña will later deliver his inspirational message while the City Health Department will hold free medical and dental checkup at the church’s gymnasium, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

April 9 has been a national holiday, also known as Bataan Day, in honor of the men and women who defended the Philippines from the Japanese during WWII. It commemorates the defense of the Bataan Peninsula by the combined forces of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East and Filipino soldiers.

Because President Gloria Arroyo had issued Proclamation No. 1211 declaring April 9, 2007 a regular holiday nationwide, the Department of Labor and Employment reminded the country’s employers of the rules on the observance of regular holiday that provided for a 100 percent pay of daily rate of an employee reporting for work on this day.

If the day falls on an employee’s rest day and is unworked, 100 percent shall apply; and if worked, plus 30 percent of 200 percent shall apply. For work in excess of eight hours, it is 30 percent added to the hourly rate for this day. — Wenna A. Berondo/RAE