While work remains suspended following the “enhanced community quarantine” in Luzon, President Rodrigo Duterte has encouraged companies to release 13th month pay ahead of time for affected employees.
“‘Pag (On the) release ng 13th Month Pay: Kahit prorated lang (prorated will do) – ‘yung ano divided by mo sa mga buwan (the sum divided by number of months) — prorated lang tulong na iyan ay ating mga kababayan habang naka-quarantine (it’s only prorated but that is a big help to our countrymen while under quarantine),” President Duterte said.
The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) has already communicated the message to its member companies, but its president is more worried on the bigger chunk of micro, small and medium enterprise workers.
“Yung mga (Those in) micro, we don’t expect them to be able to do so. Many of them are unable to pay 13th month pay, what more to advance it?” ECOP Pres. Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said.
“Ang worry nga namin pagkatapos nitong crisis na ‘to baka (Our worry is that after this crisis, there is a possibility that) many of them will close down,” he added.
This is one matter the government is hell-bent to solve.
“I urge our business leaders to find ways to help small businesses and ease the burden which is felt by the ordinary citizen right now.
In relation to this, I would be happy that several big businesses and companies have already expressed their willingness to partner with the government in this time of crisis,” Duterte said in his public address Monday.
Meanwhile, the chief executive has not yet released any directive on the advanced issuance of 13th month pay for government workers.
“No directive from PRRD yet. The 13th month pay that he mentioned are for the private employers whose workers might be displaced and/or economically affected by the ECQ as compared to government workers who continue to receive their salaries and benefits even if they work from home,” Department of Budget and Management Sec. Wendel Avisado said.
“Until we get orders from the President, we will first work on the Hazard pay of all gov’t workers reporting for work during the ECQ,” he added.
Meanwhile, DOLE Sec. Silvestre Bello III said the Php 180 million emergency employment program for informal sectors and the Php 1.3 billion COVID Adjustment Measures are being rolled out. He also asked big companies to help their workers as the quarantine is in place. – Report from Naomi Tiburcio
