Today is special holiday to mark INC centennial

CEBU, Philippines - Today, is a special non-working holiday in observance of the Iglesia ni Cristo centennial anniversary.

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III signed the Joint Resolution No. 2 of Congress declaring July 27, 2014 as a special non-working holiday. The president earlier signed Proclamation No. 815 declaring the year 2014 as the Iglesia ni Cristo Centennial Year.

The Iglesia ni Cristo is the largest homegrown Christian church in the Philippines with confirmed ministries in at least 102 countries worldwide.

Today’s centennial celebration is expected to draw at least 2 million believers at its newly-built Philippine Arena in Ciudad de Victoria, Bocaue, Bulacan. The arena is said to be world’s largest doomed indoor arena and was inaugurated Monday.

On Tuesday, another special holiday was declared by Malacañang to allow the Muslim brothers to celebrate Eid’l Fitr or the feast of Ramadan.

The Department of Labor and Employment urged private companies and institutions to follow the holiday pay rules for Special Non-Working Days. Based on the DOLE guidelines: No work, no pay, unless there is a favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement granting payment of wages on special days even if unworked.

For those employees working today, they are entitled 30% on top of their daily rate plus another 30% of hourly rate in excess of the eight hours. If the employee is supposed to be on a day-off and is required to work, additional 50% of the daily rate plus 30% of the hourly rate in excess of the eight hours. — /FPL) (FREEMAN)