Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday appealed to business owners not to take advantage should the deferment of payouts of the 13th month bonus of their workers pushes through.
Speaking on her weekly radio show, Robredo said the employees themselves know whether or not their companies can give their 13th month pay during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Tingin ko alam ng mga manggagawa kung alin ang mga kumpanyang nawalan talaga ng capacity na ibigay at this time iyong 13th month pay so sila ‘yung makakapagsabi kung pinagsasamantalahan ng employer ‘yung oportunidad,” she said.
(I think the workers know which companies have lost the capacity to give the 13th month pay at this time so they can say if the employer is taking advantage of the opportunity.)
The vice president made the appeal when asked to comment on the plan of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to allow “distressed” companies to defer payment of the mandatory 13th month pay.
The 13th month pay, under Presidential Decree No. 851, should be equivalent to a twelfth of an employee’s basic annual salary. This bonus is given before the end of each year.
Robredo said she had spoken with various business owners about their companies’ situation amid the health crisis.
“Karamihan sa mga nakakausap nating negosyante, halos lahat sinasabi ang goal nila ngayon hindi kumita pero iyong goal nila wala lang sila ma-retrench na empleyado,” she said.
(Most of the businessmen I talked to were saying their goal now is not to make profit, but not to retrench their employees.)
Robredo also urged all Filipinos to tighten their belts to cope up as the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on the economy and affected several industries.
The Philippines is gradually reopening its economy following a strict lockdown imposed in March.
“Naiintindihan natin iyong pinagdadaanan ng lahat ngayon pero ‘yung sa akin, sana lahat tayo magshare ng burden, lahat magsakripisyo, lahat parang magbelt-tigtening kasi mahirap talaga ‘yung panahon,” she said.
(We understand what everybody is going through right now, but for me, I hope we will all share the burden, make sacrifices, and tighten their belts, in these difficult times.)