For Pres. Duterte to order the payment of all OFWs' 5 years 13th month pay on 26 Feb 2019

Through the intercession of Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) [Church of Christ) Executive Minister Brother EDUARDO VILLANUEVA MANALO, the incumbent Special Envoy for OFW Concerns.

For President Rodrigo "Digong" Roa Duterte to most kindly order via issuance of an Executive Order (EO) the payment of all OFWs' 13th month pay, other unpaid benefits, salaries and claims for the past (a total of) five (5) years on or before 26 February 2019.

Ang ipag - utos ni Presidente Duterte sa pamamagitan ng paglalabas ng EO na bayaran na ang 13th month pay, mga hindi pa natatanggap na mga suweldo at mga benepisyo ng lahat ng mga OFWs para sa nakalipas na (may kabuuhang) limang (5) taon bago dumating ang o sa 26 Pebrero 2019.

"OFW of the World," all Pinoy migrant workers' welfare advocates and crusaders, buong pwersa, tayo'y nagkakaisa, solidong magkakasama, may tuluy - tuloy na ugnayan at sagradong nagtutulungan sa marubdob na panawagan at masidhing pakiusap kay Presidente Rodrigo "Digong" Roa Duterte na siya'y magmagandang - loob na magpalabas sa lalong madaling panahon ng isang matapang ang mga pananalitang EO na nagpapaalala at nag - uutos sa lahat ng mga local recruitment agency sa bansa [at tinatawagang atensyon ang mga foreign employer at mga Foreign Recruitment Agency (FRA)] na sumunod sila sa mga batas ng Republika ng Pilipinas na mahigpit na nagtatakda at istriktong itinatadha na mangagsipagbayad sila ng kaukulang 13th month pay sa lahat ng kani - kanilang mga empleyadong - OFW para sa nakalipas na (may kabuuhang) limang (5) taon bago dumating o sa mismong araw ng 26 February 2019 na hindi na kailangan pang magsampa ng anumang reklamo sa National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) o ng kaukulang demanda sa dahilang ang isang simpleng ulat ng hindi pagsunod sa EO na ito ay mangangahulugan o magreresulta ng awtomatikong kanselasyon/ terminasyon ng lisensyang magpatakbo ng nasabing local recruitment agency at rebokasyon/ pagpapawalang - bisa ng akreditasyon ng isang partikular na FRA.

"OFW of the World," all Pinoy migrant workers' welfare advocates and crusaders, in full force, we are united, solidly together, with continuous coordination and sacredly helping one another in our ardent call and urgent appeal to President Rodrigo "Digong" Roa Duterte for him to most kindly issue at the soonest possible time a fiercely worded Executive Order (EO) which shall remind and will strongly instruct all local recruitment agencies in the country [and calling the attention of foreign employers and Foreign Recruitment Agencies (FRAs)] to follow the laws of the Republic of the Philippines that strictly mandate and strigently prescribe to settle the thirteenth (13th) month pay for the past (a total of) five (5) years of all their respective employees - OFWs on or before 26 February 2019 without any need of filing of any case before the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) or for further demand by the OFW concerned because the mere single report of non - compliance to this EO is basis enough to automatically cancel/ terminate the license to operate of subject local recruitment agencies and revoke the accreditation of particular FRAs.

Ang mga OFW ay kinabibilangan ng mga seafarer/ seaman, domestic helper o Household Service Worker (HSW), skilled/ non- skilled o professional migrant worker!

Alinsunod sa batas ng Republika ng Pilipinas, ang OFW ay itinuturing na empleyado at ang local recruitment agency naman ang siyang employer kung kaya mayroong Employer - Employee Relationship ang dalawang (2) entidad (entity) o partido (party) kung kaya "krimen" ang hindi pagbabayad ng mga employer - recruitment agency sa kanilang mga empleyadong OFW ng kanilang 13th month pay.

Sa nabanggit na EO na ipinapakiusap nating ilalabas ni Pangulong Digong, ipapaalala at mahigpit na iuutos niya sa mga local recruitment agency sa pamamagitan ng Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) na istriktong sumunod sa mga batas ng Pilipinas at mangagsipagbayad na sila sa kani - kanilang kawaning - OFW ng nasabing 13th month pay na may kabuuhan nang limang (5) taon para ngayong Disyembre 2018, para sa apat (4) na nakalipas na mga taong 2014, 2015, 2016 at 2017 at ang palagian o regular nang pagbabayad nito tuwing bago dumating o sa Disyembre 24 taun - taon.

Pagkatapos na magpalabas ng EO si Pangulo Digong at mayroong recruitment agency na nangyaring hindi sumusunod sa kanyang atas/ hindi tumutupad sa ipinag - uutos na magbayad ng nasabing obligasyon, agarang ipagbigay - alam po ninyo ito sa inyong lingkod, Tirso Jr. Nieva Paglicawan, Founder/ Chairman, SERBISYO OFW WORLDWIDE (SOW), tirsonievapaglicawanjr@gmail.com (email address)/ Editor-In-Chief, The Market Monitor, marketmonitor.com.ph para sa kaukulang mabilisang aksyon!

ITO ANG MGA LEGAL NA BASEHAN KUNG KAYA LEHITIMONG DAPAT NA BAYARAN NG MGA LOCAL RECRUITMENT AGENCY, FOREIGN EMPLOYER AT O FRA SA PAMAMAGITAN NG POEA ANG LAHAT NG MGA EMPLEYADONG - OFW:

Sapagka't ang recruitment agency at ang OFW ay mayroong employer - employee relationship.

(I) - Presidential Decree No. 851, 16 December 1976 issued by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos (REQUIRING ALL EMPLOYERS TO PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES A 13TH MONTH PAY).

https://www.thecorpusjuris.com/legislative/presidential-decrees/pd-no-851.php

(II) - Memorandum Order No. 28, Series of 1986 issued by former President Corazon C. Aquino (MODIFYING PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 851 REQUIRING ALL EMPLOYERS TO PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES A 13TH MONTH PAY).

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1986/08/13/memorandum-order-no-28-s-1986/

(III) - Sameer Overseas Placement Agency Inc., Petitioner vs. Joy C. Cabiles, Respondent, G.R. No. 170139, August 5, 2014.

https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2014/aug2014/gr_170139_2014.html

In this above - cited case, Contract of Employment entered into by and between petitioners and private respondent was executed here in the Philippines with the approval of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). Hence, the Labor Code together with its implementing rules and regulations and other laws affecting labor apply in this case.

Furthermore, settled is the rule that the courts of the forum will not enforce any foreign claim obnoxious to the forum's public policy. Here in the Philippines, employment agreements are more than contractual in nature.

 

The Constitution itself, in Article XIII, Section 3, guarantees the special protection of workers, to wit:

"The State shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all."

 

It is in this wise that Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen, in part had declared when he decided in this instant case: "This case involves an overseas Filipino worker with shattered dreams. It is our duty, given the facts and the law, to approximate justice for her."

(IV) - Escrow deposit is expressly provided for under Section 96 B5 of the Revised POEA Rules and Regulations Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Landbased Overseas Filipino Workers of 2016 which states that Foreign Placement Agencies (FPAs) hiring Domestic Helpers (DHs) shall be required to put up and maintain an escrow account with a bank authorized by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to handle trust accounts with deposit in the amount of Fifty Thousand United States Dollars (US$50,000.00). The escrow deposit shall answer for all valid and legal claims arising from violations of contracts of employment.

http://www.poea.gov.ph/agency/files/Licensing_2016_POEA%20Rules_Landbased.htm

(V) - No. 9 (Submission of Post - Qualification Requirements) of Letter A. APPLICATION of Rule II - Issuance of License of PART II - LICENSING AND REGULATION of 2016 Revised POEA Revised Rules and Regulations Governing The Recruitment and Employment of Seafarers, specifically letter (f) states that "An escrow deposit agreement with a bank authorized by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to handle trust accounts, with deposit in the amount of One Million Pesos (PhP1,000,000.00).

The escrow deposit shall answer for all valid and legal claims arising from contracts of employment and violations of the conditions for the grant and use of the license, including fines imposed by the Administration.
The escrow shall likewise guarantee compliance with prescribed recruitment procedures, rules and regulations, appropriate terms and conditions of employment and relevant issuances of the DOLE.

The escrow deposit shall not be sourced out from the capitalization requirement."

www.poea.gov.ph › 2016 Rules Seabased

(VI) - Republic Act No. 10653 [Please see also Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Regulation No. 3-2015].

https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2015/ra_10653_2015.html
https://www.bir.gov.ph/index.php/revenue-issuances/revenue-regulations/2015-revenue-regulations.html

(VII) - Republic Act No. 10963 [Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law].

http://www.grantthornton.com.ph/insights/articles-and-updates1/tax-notes/ra-10963-amends-the-national-internal-revenue-code-of-1997/

and

(VIII) - Release workers’ 13th month pay on time, employers told

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2018/12/10/1875637/release-workers-13th-month-pay-time-employers-told

Lahat ng mga 'yan ang itinatadhana ng batas upang pagkalooban ng 13th month pay ang LAHAT ng mga OFW, maging seafarer/ seaman, domestic helper/ HSW, skilled/ non - skilled at o professional migrant workers.

Mananawagan din tayo na mamagitan at o magsilbing - intercession sina DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (DFA) SECRETARY TEODORO L. LOCSIN, JR., DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT (DOLE) SEC. SILVESTRE "BEBOT" HERNAN BELLO III, COMMISSION ON FILIPINO OVERSEAS (CFO) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNDERSECRETARY ASTRAVEL PIMENTEL - NAIC, OVERSEAS WORKERS WELFARE ADMINISTRATION (OWWA) ADMINISTRATOR HANS LEO J. CACDAC at PHILIPPINE OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT ADMINISTRATION (POEA) ADMINISTRATOR BERNARD P. OLALIA sa ating panawagan at apelang EO.

IPAPAKIUSAP din natin at hihilingin ang atensyon, pagtingin at pag - aksyon ng pinakamamahal at lubos na iginagalang na Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) [Church of Christ) Executive Minister Brother EDUARDO VILLANUEVA MANALO, ang siyang labis na inaasahang incumbent Special Envoy for OFW Concerns ng LAHAT ng mga KAPATID na mga OFW.

Ang paglingap at ayuda mula kay Presidential Adviser on OFW and Muslims Concerns, Secretary ABDULLAH MAMA-O para sa mga kapatid na mga Muslim Filipino at maging Kristiyano.

Ang pag - asiste ni Presidential Adviser on OFWs Edwin D. Bael, lahat ng mga kasalukuyang nakaupong mga Ambassador sa mga embahada, mga opisyales sa Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), OWWA at iba pang ahensya ng Pamahalaang Pilipinas sa iba't - ibang nasyon.

Lubhang malaking tulong din ang intercession o pamamagitan nina Advocates and Keepers Organization of OFWs Inc. (AKO OFW) partylist nominees CELERINO "DOK CHIE" L. UMANDAP at MARCIA GONZALES - SADICON at ng mga kandidato sa pagkasenador na sina "Original and pioneer Filipino nationalist music icon FERDINAND 'FREDDIE' PASCUAL AGUILAR (erstwhile Presidential Adviser on Culture and Arts), former Bureau of Corrections Director General RONALD 'BATO' MARAPON DELA ROSA at dating Special Assistant to the President CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE 'BONG' TESORO GO.

Ang pinakaaasahan nating laging tagasuporta ng mga OFW at miyembro ng kanilang pamilya, ang tulong na magmumula mismo kayna Philippine Senator Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao at Davao City (Davao Del Sur) Mayor Sara "Inday Sara" Duterte - Carpio, ang anak ni Pangulo Digong!

SILA ANG MGA MGA TAONG MAY GININTUANG PUSONG ATING INAASAHANG MAGTUTULAK AT BUBULONG KAY PANGULO DIGONG NA AGARANG IPAGKALOOB ANG ATING KAHILINGANG PAGPAPALABAS NG NASABING EXECUTIVE ORDER SA MAS MAAGANG PANAHON NANG MAGING MASIGLA AT PUNO NG PANIBAGONG PAG - ASA ANG ATING BAGONG TAON.

President Digong may please make special mention or prioritize those distressed OFWs who had been rescued from maltreatment and repatriated to the Philippines and specially, all of those presently unemployed countrymen - migrant workers.

The Most Frequently Asked Questions:

What is 13th month pay?

It is a form of monetary assistance equivalent to the monthly basic compensation received by an employee, computed pro-rata according to the number of months within a year that an employee has rendered service to an employer (basic monthly pay/12 x number of months actually worked).

Who are entitled to 13th month pay?

All rank and file employees, regardless of status, who have worked for at least one (1) month are entitled to receive 13th month pay.

When must it be paid?

The 13th month pay shall be paid not later than December 24 of each year. An employer, however, may give to his employees one half (½) of the required 13th month pay before the opening of the regular school year and the other half on before the 24th of December of every year. The frequency of payment of this monetary benefit may be the subject of agreement between the employer and the recognized/collective bargaining agent of the employees.

Can the employer withhold payment of the 13th month pay?

No, the payment of 13th month pay is mandatory, specifically provided under Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 851. In case of non-payment of 13th month pay, covered employees could complain at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) or the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).

Thus, for and in behalf of our fellow Filipinos who are working in the overseas, herein Petitioner, humbly yet bravely taking this initiative to most ardently and urgently request His Excellency RODRIGO "DIGONG" ROA DUTERTE to most kindly issue an Executive Order (EO) instructing all concerned agencies, bureaus and offices of the government, more specifically the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to order the payment of all OFWs' 13th month pay, other unpaid salaries and claims for the past (a total of) five (5) years on or before 26 February 2019 without any need of filing of any case before the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) or for further demand because a mere single report of non - compliance to this EO is basis enough to automatically terminate the license to operate of subject local recruitment agencies and the revocation of accreditation of any Foreign Recruitment Agencies (FRA).

During the 2016 national and local elections campaign sorties, as you (Pres. Duterte) were then a presidential candidate, you promised and professed to continuously become an ever dependable ally of OFWs and their families.

True to your commitment and as a gesture of genuine concern to our countrymen living and working in the overseas and more particularly, in the aftermath of the discovery of brutal death of Joanna Demafelis and other incidents of maltreatment of OFWs in Kuwait, His Excellency implemented the total ban on employment and deployment of OFWs to the said Gulf country.

It is these circumstances and premises that I am herenow again calling the President’s attention, hoping and deeply praying that this endeavor will merit his immediate action.

Tirso Nieva Paglicawan, Jr.
Founder/ Chairman, Serbisyong OFW Worldwide
tirsonievapaglicawanjr@gmail.com (email address)
Editor-In-Chief, The Market Monitor, marketmonitor.com.ph

[Why the particular choice of 26 February 2019 as the duly requested date of settlement of all OFWs' 13th month pay, other unpaid benefits, salaries and claims for the past (a total of) five (5) years?

It's because this occasion is the 55th birthday of herein petitioner. This significant date is the day when he distinctly wants to prove and show to his beloved father, TIRSO "TISOY" SAN JUAN PAGLICAWAN, SR., mother FILIPINA "FELY" MASCARINAS NIEVA, (his brothers TEODIRICO, THEODORE, THADEUS and TYRONE) that their most hardheaded and ever stubborn eldest son and brother, (just like President Duterte) can still be a "pride" of his parents and siblings (and children/ grandchildren), the Province of Oriental Mindoro, his country Philippines and fellow Filipinos!]