NLRC: P43.5M unclaimed from labor dispute awards

A total of P43.51 million in cash and bonds, representing awards to labor complainants, have remained unclaimed at the National Labor Relations Commission's Fourth Division (Central Visayas) and the Regional Arbitration Board-7 for the past 23 years.

This was the report of the Commission on Audit, in its audit of the NLRC, which also stated that this monetary awards to winning complainants have been found in the aging of accounts classified as "other payables."

The NLRC-4th Division records showed a total of P1.645 million of these unclaimed awards while the arbitration board has a total of P41.869 million.

Posting of cash and surety bonds in an amount equivalent to the monetary award of the complainant is required from respondent-employers making an appeal over an NLRC's decision or resolution of a particular case.

These cash or surety bonds are then recorded in the books under "cash collecting office" of the debit account and under "other payables" of the credit account.

COA found in the NLRC-4th Division books that the accountant's subsidiary ledger for receipts and withdrawals of cash bonds has no records of names and addresses of the payers, which made it difficult to verify the validity, existence and correctness of the figures on record.

COA requested the division's management to order its administrative division to locate the records of those cases involved and determine their status.

If the cases are found already resolved, the management should notify immediately the rightful claimants so that these long outstanding bonds would be processed and released accordingly, said COA.

In the exit conference with COA, the NLRC presiding commissioner said that the 4th Division's administrative personnel were already instructed to search for logbooks, index cards and other records to determine the status of the cases and addresses of the awardees.

In the case of the arbitration board, COA noted that some cash or bond deposits have no corresponding official receipts, and there was an "overwithdrawal" of awards and unclaimed stale checks.

COA recommended to the board for the conduct of an extensive verification of the status of all cases, especially those that are already 10 years or older, then inform the depositors and claimants whose cases were already decided with finality.

In case the depositors and claimants cannot be located anymore, COA said their posted cash or surety bonds should be withdrawn and remitted to the National Treasury. - Ferliza C. Contratista/RAE