SAN JOSE, Antique – Twenty sugar migrant workers or “sakadas” from this province who are still working in the fields of Negros Occidental are set to receive a monetary award.
Randy Ardeño, officer in charge of the provincial Sakada Desk, said on Thursday the 20 sakadas belong to the first batch of sugar migrant workers who received favorable decisions for their labor complaint against Hacienda Asuncion and Hacienda Marina.
The migrant workers complained of unpaid wages by hacienda owner Jorge Vargas.
“The 20 sakadas belong to the first batch of the total 70 sugar migrants who won their case with the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) Seventh Division in Cebu City,” Ardeño said.
He added the workers – with the assistance of the Sakada Desk – filed on Aug. 18, 2017 a case for moral and exemplary damages, non-payment of salaries/wages, and violation on the frequency of payment and unauthorized deduction of salaries/wages.
The sakadas worked through direct hiring from Sept. 2016 to May 20, 2017.
Under their contract, they were supposed to end their work in March 2017, but it was extended until May 2017 so they could finish off what was left to be done in the sugarcane plantation.
Roleen Eraga, their employer’s representative, informed the workers that their employer Vargas has refused to pay.
This prompted the workers to file a case before the NLRC.
On Jan. 30, 2018, Labor Arbiter Rodrigo Camacho rendered a decision ordering the respondents to pay the sakadas the aggregate amount of P1,635,619.37 by way of salaries/wages, moral and exemplary damages, and 10-percent attorney’s fees.
The sakadas gave a Special Power of Attorney to their lawyer, Mary Louise Villegas to facilitate their claims.
Meanwhile, Gov. Rhodora Cadiao is also set to bring a medical mission to the sugar migrant workers during the annual “Bisita Sacada” on Dec. 7-8.(With a report from PNA/PN)
