Palace asks public to join Independence Day celebrations

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang urged Filipinos yesterday to participate in the 118th Independence Day activities tomorrow and “celebrate the freedom that our forefathers had fought hard for.”

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said President Aquino would lead the celebrations with the theme “Kalayaan 2016: Pagkakaisa, Pag-aambagan, Pagsulong.”

Aquino will attend the flag-raising and wreath-laying rites at the Rizal Monument in Manila at 8 a.m. before the traditional vin d’honneur for the diplomatic corps in Malacañang.

Simultaneous commemorative rites will also be held in key cities nationwide, including Kawit in Cavite, Malolos in Bulacan, Angeles City in Pampanga, Davao City, Cebu City and several other parts of Metro Manila.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines in partnership with other participating government agencies have lined up other commemorative activities leading to tomorrow’s main celebration.

These include the Balik-Tanaw cultural heritage tour at the Pasig River, cultural performances at the Paco Park and Rizal Park, simultaneous job fairs nationwide, trade fairs and public exhibits. 

Double pay for workers

Meanwhile, double pay awaits workers choosing to work tomorrow, Independence Day, according to the Department of Labor and Employment.

Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz reminded employers to comply with rules on the payment of wages for regular holiday on June 12.

Under the rules, an employee shall get 200 percent for first eight hours of services rendered and additional 30 percent of hourly rate if the worker will perform more than eight working hours.

Baldoz said for work done during a regular holiday that falls on his or her dayoff, employee shall be paid an additional 30 percent or a total of 230 percent for eight hours of work.

“Work done in excess of eight hours during a regular holiday that falls on rest day shall be paid an additional 30 percent,” she said.

Baldoz said over 22,000 local and overseas jobs are up for grabs in the Kalayaan 2016 Job Fair to be mounted by the DOLE’s National Capital Region.

The Independence Day celebration is a timely occasion for the DOLE to facilitate the employment of the jobless and further heighten its partnership with private industry in ensuring workers’ employability and productivity, she added. 

Labor Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag said the DOLE joins the nation in commemorating the 118th anniversary of Philippine Independence with nationwide job fairs, one of which is the 2016 Kalayaan Job Fair at the Rizal Park.

DOLE-NCR is gathering 81 companies from the Metro Manila for the job fair, he added.

Most of the local job vacancies are for professional and technical-vocational workers, Fameronag said.

Nelson Hornilla, DOLE-NCR director, said a total of 110 employers are taking part in the job fair.

Rizal monument iluminated

Today and tomorrow, a special light and sound display will illuminate the monument of Jose Rizal in Manila to mark  the  118th Independence Day.

The National Parks Development Committee might also open the Contemplative Garden on 500 square meters of the Burnham Green section of Rizal Park.

A 15-minute light and sound show  will be played at 30-minute intervals today, June 11 and tomorrow, June 12, according to Eduardo Villalon Jr., National Parks Development Committee Planning and Management Division head.

The artistic arrangement of the changing of lights and its different colors on the monument will run from 7 p.m. until midnight this weekend.

During the rest of the days of June, the show will be on from 6:30 p.m. until 10 p.m.

The NPDC and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority conceptualized and implemented the light and sound project, implemented by Optimum Show.

Villalon told The STAR the project  will highlight or give more emphasis on the Rizal Monument.

“From the drab lights, the interpretation of light and sound show would give (the monument) more life,” he said.

“It will also stress on the historical significance of the monument. They would be playing patriotic songs such as ‘Bayan Ko’ and ‘Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo’.”

Optimum Show managing director Richard Thomas, the lighting designer and artistic director, said the show’s theme is “In The Light of Jose Rizal.” 

“There would be no images, no disco lights but the music would be synchronized to the (light) effects,” he said.

The Frenchman said they have prepared two 15-minute shows that would be played alternately, along with special effects.  – With Mayen Jaymalin, Evelyn Macairan