DOLE-7 to employers: Pay holiday premium
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-7 is encouraging employers to familiarize themselves with the pay rules as two special non-working holidays were declared in February.
These include today’s Chinese New Year and the EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary on February 25.
Labor Advisory No. 03, Series of 2018, issued by Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, indicated the payment of wages for said special non-working days.
DOLE-7, in a press statement, said that the principle of “No Work, No Pay” shall apply, unless there is a favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment on a special non-working day.
It said that for work done during the special day, workers shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his or her daily rate on the first eight hours of work.
Employers are also reminded to pay an additional 30 percent of workers’hourly rate on that day for work done in excess of eight hours or overtime work.
DOLE-7 Officer-in-Charge Cyril L. Ticao said that there is a different computation for work done during a special day that also falls on the workers’ rest day.
In this case, workers would be paid an additional 50 percent of their daily rate on the first eight hours of work, Ticao said.
He added that for work done in excess of eight hours or overtime work during a special day that also falls on their rest day, they shall be paid an additional 30 percent of their hourly rate on said day.
In Region-7, employers should be guided by the existing minimum wage rates as provided by Wage Order No. ROVII-20.
For Class A cities and municipalities or the so-called Expanded Metro Cebu, the daily minimum wage rate is P366.
For cities and municipalities under Class B category, the minimum wage rate is set at P333. The category covers the cities of Toledo, Bogo, and the rest of the Municipalities in Cebu Province except for the Islands of Bantayan and Camotes.
The Class C Cities and Municipalities in the Provinces of Bohol and Negros Oriental have P323.00 as daily minimum wage rate. For Class D Municipalities in Siquijor Province and the Municipalities in Bantayan and Camotes Islands, workers should be paid P308 daily.
The cost of living allowance (COLA) is already integrated in the wage rates, Ticao added.
Meanwhile, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) assured that teams had been briefed and deployed in converging points to ensure a safe celebration of the Chinese New Year.
CCPO Director Joel Doria said that since Wednesday night, police personnel in the city were directed to conduct preventive patrolling amidst the annual party.
“Yung mga mobile patrol natin, paiikutin natin, kagaya ng ginawa natin kagabi, pinalabas natin lahat ng kapulisan pati ang traffic,” Doria said.
He said that increasing police presence will discourage criminals from victimizing pedestrians.
Doria added that predetermined venues where parties will be held will also be given appropriate security.
“While conducting police visibility may na-apprehend na snatcher ng cellphone. So maganda ang may presence ng kapulisan. So the same thing, bukas ng gabi, yung mga venue na pag seselebratan maglalagay tayo,” Doria said.
Doria said that personnel of the Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP) are also on standby in case of fireworks and other combustible material that may go off during the celebration.
He said though that no request has been submitted to his office for use of fireworks, which will later be submitted to Regional Civil Security Unit (RCSU) formerly known as Firearms Explosive Security and Guards Supervisory Section (FESSAGS), which regulates the use of fireworks.