Stiffer penalties over guards’ wages opposed

THE Employers Confederation of the Philippines ( ECOP) has expressed its opposition to House Bill ( HB) 4651 or An Act Imposing Stiffer Penalties on Private Security Agencies for Non- Payment of the Prescribed Minimum Wage Rates.

HB 4651, which is pending before the House Committee on Labor and Employment, seeks to amend provisions of Republic Act ( RA) 5487, or An Act to Regulate the Organization and Operation of Private Detective, Watchmen or Security Guards Agencies or the Private Security Agency Law.

“The employment and working conditions of security guards covered by the Private Security Agency Law are prescribed in Department of Labor and Employment Department Order [ DO] 150, Series of 2016, ‘ Revised Guidelines Governing the Employment and Working Conditions of Security Guards and Similar Personnel in the Private Security Industry,’” ECOP said in a paper on Friday.

According to the paper, the Revised Guidelines were issued for ensuring compliance with mandated employment benefits and working conditions of security guards and other private security personnel in the private security industry.

“It should be noted that the proposed amendments [ to] Section 15 of the Private Security Agency Law essentially consists of an enumeration the benefits to which security guards are entitled, which are not only already provided to all workers under existing laws but more specifically and comprehensively elaborated in the Revised Guidelines,” it said.

“We see no real need to amend the Private Security Agency Law, which already succinctly prescribes entitlement of security guards to all the rights and benefits provided to all workers under existing laws and which are comprehensively elaborated by DO 150, Series of 2016, with an enumeration of the same rights and benefits,” ECOP added.