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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 20) – Workers who were told not to report to work during the lockdown period will see their 13th month pay reduced, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Tuesday.
“The number of days na Hindi sila nakapasok, whether voluntary or involuntary, will have to be deducted in the calculation of the payment for the thirteenth month,” he told a news conference.
[Translation: Whether it’s voluntary or involuntary, the days they did not go to work will be deducted in their 13th month pay.]Payment for the thirteenth month will be awarded on a pro rata basis, meaning it will be based on actual wages earned by workers. The Undersecretary of Labor, Benjo Benavidez, explained that the minimum amount of the benefit is calculated by adding all the real wages and dividing it by 12.
Several employees have criticized the previous statement by Bello, who raised the possibility of exempting companies “in difficulty” and affected by a pandemic from paying the mandatory benefit or allowing them to defer their delivery. Now, he said there are no exceptions despite the pandemic-induced recession.
“The thirteenth month payment will definitely pay for that,” Bello said. “There are no exceptions and there is no postponement … Obviously, on or before December 24, employees must be paid.”
[Translation: The 13th month pay has to be paid. No exceptions, no deferment. It’s clear that they have to do it on or before Dec. 24.]He added that micro and small businesses in difficulty have to obtain new loans to cover their employees’ thirteenth month of salary.
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