This Week in Metro Manila (November 28 to December 04, 2016)

November 30 is a holiday in commemoration of Andres Bonifacio’s 154th birth anniversary. Andres Bonifacio is a Filipino revolutionary leader who founded the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK) in 1892, an organization that fought for Philippine Independence. He is also dubbed as “The Father of Philippine Revolution.”

The Department of Labor and Employment reminds private sector employers to observe the pay rules and core labor standards applicable on a regular non-working holiday. Meanwhile, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) will be holding a Bonifacio Day special screenings on the 29th and 30th of November, at Cinematheques Baguio, Davao, Iloilo, and Manila.

A labor group union urges all employers to give their employees’ 13th month pay on or before December 24. Association of Labor Unions spokesperson said that, “All rank-and-file employees regardless of position, designation, or employment status have all the right to claim their 13th month pay cash bonus.”

13th month pay should be in cash and not in kind. However, an organization can give grocery items, however those would not be considered as 13th month pay but only as an additional bonus.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will start retesting driver’s license holders starting January 18, 2017. This initiative is to ensure that all card holders deserve to own a license. The retesting will be free of charge as the government will shoulder all the expenses. This time, a motorist can only get a license of what he applied for, “not a pro or non-pro license that allows you to drive even a ten-wheeler truck,” said Committee of Transportation Chairman Representative Sarmiento.

In addition, the transportation department is looking forward to require a TESDA certification for those who want to apply for a professional driver’s license as well as new sets of exam for first-time takers.

The department aims to help decongest traffic situations in Manila by carefully filtering disciplined motorists through implementing a stricter driver’s license examination.

Lawmakers filed House Bill 4291 also known as work-at-home bill, aiming not only to decongest the Metro Manila traffic but also to provide convenience for employees as well as to save on the cost of utilities of employers.

AKO BICOL Partylist Rep. Rodel Batocabe said that allowing at least 10 percent of the 4.7 million members of the working community who traverse the Metro Manila roads to work from home can help reduce the traffic congestion.

The house bill mandates all government and non-government organizations, allowing exceptions to companies with less than 20 employees and “those whose jobs and business cannot be brought by employees at home as determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment.” ^[1]