Simple celebration to mark Cebu Province's 452nd founding anniversary

CEBU, Philippines —  The Provincial Government of Cebu will be celebrating its 452nd founding anniversary on Friday, August 6, without the usual grandiose festivals and other activities due to the prevailing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said there will be a flag-raising ceremony in the morning with Vice Governor Hilario Davide III and the Provincial Board Members. Mayors from the towns and component cities of the province will also join the ceremony albeit virtually.

“It’s like Déjà vu… Ang atong Cebu City MECQ man so di man ta maka-celebrate dinhi bisan tuod og na MGCQ ta og July, pagka-August atong celebration MECQ man ang Cebu City, so mao na nabalik na sab," Garcia said.

The governor is hopeful that the restrictive MECQ classification of Cebu City will be downgraded after August 15 so they can schedule other activities like the Agro-fair, One Cebu Expo, and Sugbo Negosyo.

“Ang atong mga activities unta like One Cebu Expo, kaning Sugbo Negosyo nato, kaning Agro-fair, we can then schedule hopefully on the third or last week of August kay we have celebrated the founding anniversary on a month-long basis,” Garcia said.

Republic Act 8952 declared August 6 of every year as special non-working holiday in the Province of Cebu including the highly urbanized cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Central Visayas said all workers reporting for work on Friday can expect an additional 30 percent of their basic wage for the first eight hours of work

According to DOLE-7, if the workers will not work on that day, then the “no work, no pay” principle will apply unless there is favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment on that day.

For those workers required to work overtime, they are entitled to additional 30 percent of their hourly rate and for work done on said day, which is also the rest day of workers, an additional 50 percent of the workers’ basic wage for the first eight hours of work must be given by employers. — FPL (FREEMAN)