DOLE-7 awards 13 underpaid workers

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment-7 has urged the workers in Central Visayas to help the department monitor the compliance of establishments to labor laws by reporting any violations they have observed to any of its offices nearest to their residence.

This developed as DOLE-7 Regional Director Lilia Estillore said the department has awarded more than P500,000 to 13 affected workers as payment for their money claims and other benefits.

The money claims include underpayment of wages, non-payment of night shift differential pay, non-payment of overtime pay, underpayment/non-payment of 13th month pay, underpayment/non-payment of service incentive leave pay, illegal deductions, and non-payment of rest day premium.

Estillore said that this was an offshoot of the Department’s advocacy of making sure that cases lodged before their office are being religiously acted upon and closely attended to up until execution.

In this case, the writ of execution was issued on March 13, 2023 and the affected workers personally came to the DOLE-7 to claim their individual checks. The worker’s awards ranged from P5,000 to P115,000 depending on the nature of their claims.

Estillore narrated that during the pre-execution conference that was scheduled a few days after in the same month, both parties agreed to settle through the release of the cash bond, which was deposited with the DOLE-7 Cashier’s Office.

Estillore has underscored the importance of the successful execution of cases so that the decisions made are not only considered as paper victories for the workers.

The affected workers thanked the DOLE for the support and for seeing to it that their cases are successfully and fairly resolved.

Estillore added that they are duty-bound to ensure that they serve and enforce all writs and services to the best of their capacity and ability insofar as the execution of cases is concerned.

“Rest assured that DOLE will continue to respect, promote and protect the rights and welfare of the workers in the workplaces,” the regional director further said. — (FREEMAN)