Labor Day in the Philippines

Workers called for duty today, May 1, gets 200% more of his regular pay for the first 8 hours of work and another 30% of the hourly rate for the day when he works more, the local labor office says.

  Bohol labor office, through Teri Salas said May 1, traditionally celebrated as the international Labor Day is also a regular holiday in the country and has not been moved as practiced in other holidays. 

  And pursuant to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Memorandum Circular No. 1, issued March 2004, and citing Executive Order 203 as amended by Republic Act 9177, she said workers for the day, even if they do not go to work collect 100% of their pay rates.

  If the day falls on the workers' rest day and he is called to render duty, he collects 30% more of the 200% rate he gets for the day. He shall not be held for absence if he chooses not to work and can even collect 100% of his day pay, the law states. 

  Moreover, if the day happens to be the worker's rest day, and if he works and renders more than his mandatory 8 hours, he gets 30% of his hourly rate on that day. 

NPA Denies Philippine Masscre of a Family

The communist New People's Army (NPA) washed its hands Thursday off the gruesome massacre of a family in Gingoog City in northern Mindanao last April 9.

NPA North Central Mindanao spokesman Cesar Renerio blamed a paramilitary group for the crime and slammed the military for passing the blame on the NPA to win people's hearts and minds.

"We call on all peace and human rights advocates, the religious and well-meaning politicians to conduct an in-depth investigation to delve on the truth on who really are the perpetrators of this gruesome massacre," Renerio said in an article on the Communist Party of the Philippines website (www.philippinerevolution.net).

Renerio claimed members of the paramilitary group Bungkatol Liberation Front (Bulif) were the ones who massacred the Suarez family last April 9.

Killed were Manuel and Jocelyn Suarez and their children Jan Mark, 6, Bebi, 5, Along, 2, and Niño, two months-old. The incident occurred at Sitio Kamanikan, Malinao in Gingoog.