BACOLOD CITY — The Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) has opposed the bill filed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, which seeks 14th month pay for private sector workers.
Frank Carbon, chief executive officer of MBCCI, said on Tuesday such requirement will cause laziness among the workers and deter business growth.
What could probably be given is an incentive or productivity bonus, he added.
“Not a 14th month pay that will make workers to just wait instead of encouraging them to work hard,” Carbon said.
Senate Bill No. 2 filed by Sotto in July 2016 proposes that employees, regardless of their employment status or designation, are entitled to 14th month pay as long as they have worked at least one month during the calendar year.
Carbon said the MBCCI will support the move of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry to oppose the proposal.
“We are not amenable (to the proposal) as it will result to more pay without productivity scenario,” he said.
“That is not the way you grow business, growth comes from hard labor,” Carbon added.
The local business leader said paying for a 14th month would be “too much” as the management in Western Visayas has just increased the basic pay with substantial amount in additional cost of living allowance.
Carbon said aside from 13th month pay, business firms have already been providing other incentives such as bonuses, rice and uniform allowance as well as paternity and maternity leave benefits.
On Monday, labor group General Alliance of Workers Associations led by Wennie Sancho, a labor representative to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Western Visayas, called on the Negrense legislators to support the passage of the 14th month pay bill.
Sancho said congressmen and senators from and who trace their roots in Negros Occidental should show their support to the labor sector by supporting the bill. (Erwin Nicavera/PNA)
