A PART-LIST lawmaker on Monday lauded President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte and Labor Sec. Silvestre “Bebot” Bello III on their decision not to defer the release of employees’ 13th month pay this coming holiday season.
Ang Probinsyano party-list Rep. Alfred Delos Santos, an ally and friend of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) led by House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez of Leyte, said Bello made the right decision to junk proposals to defer payment and give exemptions to the payment of 13th month pay to private sector employees.
Delos Santos said Bello declared that the Duterte administration would instead provide cash assistance to distressed enterprises so that they would be able to afford the 13th month pay of their workers as mandated by law.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo na narinig ni Secretary Bello ‘yung hinaing ng workers natin. Dapat talaga magtulungan tayo at hanapan natin ng paraan na mabibigyan ng benepisyo ‘yung workers at mabibigyan din ng assistance ang MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) natin na maaaring mahirapan dahil sa pagbibigay ng ganitong benepisyo. Natutuwa tayo sa kanilang pamumuno dahil hindi nila pababayaan ang ating mga empleyado,” Delos Santos added.
“Magiging malaking tulong po ito sa kanila na walang-wala ngayon,” Delos Santos said. “Naiintindihan naman po natin ang both sides na mayroon po talagang kinakaharap na hirap ngayon lalo na’t napakalaki ng epekto sa atin ng pandemya. Lahat po tayo ay talagang tinamaan ng pandemya na ito pero dapat ay bigyan pa rin ang workers natin ng 13th month pay lalo na’t marami talagang gipit dahil sa (coronavirus diseasde-19) COVID.”
Earlier, Bello held a meeting with Trade and Industry (DTI) Sec. Ramon Lopez, Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) president Sergio Ortiz-Luiz Jr. and trade union leaders, among others to discuss the matter.
“Para na rin sa ikabubuti ng lahat. Alam po nating madami talagang adjustments pero this is really a time na dapat magtulong-tulong tayo at ipakita ang bayanihan nating mga Pilipino,” Delos Santos said.
