Arroyo declares October 12 Eid’l Fitr as regular holiday

Eid’l Fitr, the Feast of Ramadan that falls on October 12 this year, will be a regular holiday throughout the country, Malacañang declared Monday night. Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued Proclamation No. 1397 declaring the twelfth day of this month as a regular holiday “in observance of Eid’l Fitr." “It is issued only now because the Muslim holiday is subject to the sighting of new moon," the Palace statement said. The Muslim world celebrates Eid’l Fitr after the end of the month of fasting. During a regular holiday, an employee will receive his or her regular wage even if he or she does not work on that day, whether the day is his or her regular workday or rest day. If the day is a regular workday for the employee, and the employee works on that day, he or she gets 200 percent of the regular wage for that day. If the employee works in excess of eight hours, he or she receives the hourly rate for that day (which is 200 percent of his/her regular wage divided by eight), plus 30 percent of that hourly rate. On the other hand, if the day is the employee’s rest day, and he or she works on that day, he or she receives 260 percent of his or her regular wage. If the employee renders overtime work, he or she receives his or her hourly rate for that day (which is 260 percent of his/her regular wage divided by 8), plus 30 percent of that rate. - GMANews.TV