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Duterte Gov’t Orders PLDT To Regularize 9,000 Employees, Pay P77.5-M Monetary Claims


The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, July 20 ordered telecommunications giant PLDT Inc. to regularize nearly 9,000 workers.

In a statement, the department said it issued a compliance order to PLDT and its manpower contractors to immediately regularize 8,720 employees.

The order directed PLDT to immediately issue appointment letters and payroll reflecting the entitlements of the affected workers as regular employees.

Nearly 9,000 employees under contracting and sub-contracting arrangements were doing jobs directly related to PLDT's business, the labor department said.

“PLDT and its contractors have been violating labor standards and they failed to refute the findings on the labor-only contracting activities. These employees must be regularized and entitled to security of tenure,” said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

DOLE also ordered PLDT and its 47 contractors to pay the monetary claims of 2,500 contractual employees on overtime pay, holiday pay, 13th month pay, service incentive leave pay, and unauthorized deductions amounting to P77.5 million.

“We are reviewing the order, which is still subject to appeal, in consultation with our lawyers,” said PLDT public affairs head Ramon Isberto.

Some of the labor violations cited in the DOLE order include non-compliance with Department Order No. 18-A as only 40 out of the 91 PLDT contractors were registered with the department while others were either unregistered or with expired registrations.

The DOLE said 35 of the PLDT contractors did not have substantial capital as the employees use the principal’s equipment and tools in doing the outsourced services.

“Other findings include non-compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS) as the company’s contractors lack personal protective equipment such as harness, hard hat, safety shoes, and warning devices; lack of trained safety personnel, OSH nurse, trained first-aider and DOLE accredited practitioner; non-presentation of OSH policies, and non-submission of OSHS administrative reports,” the department said.

“However, PLDT was found to be compliant with general labor standards as it provides benefits to its organic employees more than what the law requires,” it added.


Sources: GMA News, ANC
Duterte Gov’t Orders PLDT To Regularize 9,000 Employees, Pay P77.5-M Monetary Claims Duterte Gov’t Orders PLDT To Regularize 9,000 Employees, Pay P77.5-M Monetary Claims Reviewed by Yen on July 29, 2017 Rating: 5

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