PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. is spending Christmas eve in Manila but will likely proceed to the North, particularly in Ilocos Norte and Baguio City, on Christmas Day.
He said he might spend some “little quiet time” with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, adding his sons might have other plans during the holidays.
Marcos said he might spend his “break” reading, adding he has a lot of pending books that he still has to read before returning to Manila.
Marcos also said the Light Rail Transit lines 1 and 2 (LRT1/LRT2) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT3) are offering public free rides today, Friday, to ease the impact of the Christmas rush.
The President took to social media to announce the free rides for December 20 to accommodate some 1.1 million expected passengers.
“This initiative is our simple way to ease the costs of the preparation for the Christmas holidays. May this provide comfort and make everyone feel the government’s concern this holiday season,” Marcos said.
Acting Communications Secretary Cesar Chavez said the government will provide free train rides today, the last Friday before Christmas because it is usually the day before Christmas when they record the highest number of commuters.
Chavez said around 1.1 million commuters ride the LRT/MRT lines on the last Friday before Christmas and many of them are traveling to bus and other public transportation terminals in Caloocan, Manila, Pasay, North Avenue in Quezon City and the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).
He said LRT1 accommodates around 460,000 passengers, LRT2 200,000 and MRT 3 450,000.
“The Office of the President will subsidize this free ride. This means the OP will pay the LRMC for Line 1, LRTA for Line 2 and DOTr for MRT3,” Chavez said.
He said the subsidy from the government would be around P24.42 million or P10.12 million for LRT1, P4.4 million for LRT2 and P9.9 million for MRT3.
13TH MONTH PAY
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma reiterated his call for private-sector employers to release the 13th-month pay of their employees ahead of the December 24 deadline.
“We are renewing our call to employers to release the 13th month pay already even if the deadline is on December 24,” Laguesma said in a radio interview.
“We hope they will release them earlier to allow their employees to avoid the holiday rush and properly budget their 13th month pays,” he added.
Under Presidential Decree No. 851, employers in the private sector are required to pay their rank-and-file employees 13th-month pay.
Labor Advisory No. 13-2024 provides that the 13th month pay shall be paid on or before December 24, 2024.
Laguesma also noted that the Labor Advisory requires all employers to submit their compliance reports on the 13th month pay not later than January 15, 2025.
The report shall include the name of the establishment; address; principal product or business; total employment; total number of workers benefitted; amount granted per employee; total amount of benefits granted; and name, position, and telephone number of the person giving information.
“Employers shall make a report of their compliance through the DOLE Establishment Report System at https://reports.dole.gov.ph/,” it said.
“Compliance with the 13th-month pay shall be monitored by the appropriate DOLE regional/field/provincial office having jurisdiction over the workplace,” added DOLE.
HEIGHTENED ALERT
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is implementing heightened alert at all ports in preparation for the expected influx of passengers for Christmas and New Year.
The PPA expects about 4.5 million passengers to travel this holiday season from December 22 to January 3. On December 23 and January 3, most passengers will either be heading home to their provinces or returning to their work after spending the holidays with their families.
PPA general manager Jay Santiago, in a statement, said the agency will also implement a full manpower and no leave policy for frontline employees.
“The first thing we are doing there is – we have issued a directive to all our Port Management Offices, to all our frontliners, starting December 22 to January 3, no leaves will be approved. Full manpower compliments our terminals.
“Our terminals have contacted the shipping lines to ensure the schedules of the ships and they’re coordinating with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA),” said Santiago.
“Even in the possibility of a weather disturbance during the holiday break, we are also prepared for that. Our personnel at our terminals already know what they should do and what assistance they should extend to our compatriots who may be stranded.”
Santiago also reminded passengers to be alert to scammers such as those offering travel insurance even though it is not mandatory for ships. It also reminded all passengers not to bring prohibited items into the port such as flammable materials, sharp weapons, and alcohol. – With Gerard Naval and Myla Iglesias
