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Labor department welcomes bill on conditional 14th month pay

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<figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Video_Widget_1_Container"><ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Video_Widget_1" allow="autoplay" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-wid="f5fb7bd1-3880"></ivs-player><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script></div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="~//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="~//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATE)</strong>—The labor department on Saturday welcomed a Senate bill requiring private companies to give their employees a 14th-month pay but with conditions.</p><p>Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said his office needs to talk to the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) to iron out any financial concerns. </p><p>&quot;That&#x27;s the reason why government is taking its effort to consult all our economic advisers. In other words, there is willingness to give this to our workers both from the public and private sector, but we have to be very sure that government can afford it and our employers can also afford it,&quot; Bello told ANC.</p><p>The bill is currently pending at the Senate committee level.</p><p>Malacañang said President Rodrigo Duterte is reviewing the bill with his economic managers.</p><p>The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, meanwhile, expressed concern over the bill and said this can push smaller companies to downsize or even shut down.</p><p>ECOP, in a statement, said it is &quot;ready to work&quot; with the government but said small and medium enterprises &quot;are not in position to downsize.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Most will just pack up. Let us not forget that this is a case of competition,&quot; it said.</p><p>&quot;We must look for ways to help workers increase their purchasing power. The vanilla formula will no longer work. They always say that is a long-term solution. When do we start? We cannot wait any longer.&quot;</p>

<p>Secretary Silvestre Bello III said his office needs to talk to the Employers Confederation of the Philippines to iron out any financial concerns. </p>

Secretary Silvestre Bello III said his office needs to talk to the Employers Confederation of the Philippines to iron out any financial concerns.