MANILA – All employers are required to release their workers’ 13th month pay on or before Dec. 24, Labor secretary Silvestre Bello III clarified Thursday.
According to Bello, deferring or giving exemption to the payout is no longer on the table. Official order to companies will be released on Friday.
“We will not postpone, we will not defer and we will not give any exemption with the payment of 13th month pay,” Bello said. “The law says, ‘Pay the workers their 13th month pay on or before Dec. 24.’ ‘Yan po ang ipapatupad ng Department of Labor,” Bello said.
The labor chief earlier said the government is looking at the possibility of allowing COVID-hit companies to defer payout of their workers’ 13th month bonuses.
Authorities are also considering suggestions to subsidize micro, small and medium enterprises workers.
“Ngayon, alam naman natin na ‘yung mga employers they want to give kaya lang meron talagang hindi kaya at ito ‘yung micro, small, and medium enterprises. ‘Yun ang tutulungan natin if our Secretary of Finance will approve our request na i-subsidize ‘yung mga micro and small enterprises,” Bello said.
“Kung hindi natin maibigay ‘yung subsidy na ‘yon, puwede natin silang bigyan ng loan facility sa lahat ng mga bangko,” he added./PN
