A leader of the House of Representatives has filed a bill seeking to grant all private sector workers a 14th-month pay equivalent to one and a half of their monthly salaries.
Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito Mendoza of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines party-list filed House Bill No. 3808 last Monday after Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III filed his version of the bill.
“Having these proposals in both chambers of Congress is proof that 13th-month pay isn’t enough and that it’s time for a 14th-month pay, which our workers have long been waiting for,” Mendoza said in Filipino.
Mendoza noted that the filing of the measure came almost 50 years after the 13th-month pay was required by Presidential Decree No. 851 in 1976.
“Once this 14th Month Pay Bill is enacted, workers will get their 13th month pay earlier in June and will get the additional 14th month pay in December. They’ll have money for the tuition of their children in June and money to buy food for Christmas,” he said.
Under the bill, the 13th month pay shall be annually given by June 24 while the 14th month pay shall be distributed every December 24, “provided that the frequency of payment of this monetary benefit may be the subject of agreement between employer and employee or any recognized/collective bargaining agent of employees.”
“Today, Filipino workers and their families continue to suffer from starvation poverty wages with most, if not all, regional minimum wages which fall below the government-set poverty threshold and no way near the family living wage as well as persistent underemployment reflected in the fact that millions who have a job are still seeking another job or additional hours of work,” the bill said.
Mendoza said that since he understands that some distressed companies may not be able to comply right away, the bill provides exemptions but is subject to the strict approval by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Non-profit institutions and organizations with incomes that have consistently declined by over 40 percent of their normal income for the last two years are also exempted from the bill.
“These exemptions prove that we heed the concerns of employers, especially those who are struggling. But let us be clear: when workers receive more and better benefits, they are not only happier but also more motivated and productive at work. And when productivity rises, so does profitability. Working families become more comfortable as businesses and the economy grow stronger. Together, we can make this 14th month pay work not only for our workers but our employers and the country,” the lawmaker said.
