Here are the top news, events, and announcements that shaped and steered the HR industry and labor in the Philippines in August 2017.
DOLE announces pay rules for 2018 holidays
The Department of Labor of Employment (DOLE) published last August 10 the prescribed computation of wages for 2018 holidays. Labor Advisory No. 10, s. 2017 or the “Payment of Wages for the Regular and Special (Non-Working) Holidays for the Year 2018” is set to guide private sector employers in determining how much they should pay their workers on the said days.
The advisory was made in reference to Presidential Proclamation No. 269, s. 2017, which enumerates all the regular and special holidays next year. The regular holidays are New Year’s Day (January 1), Maundy Thursday (March 29), Good Friday (March 30), Araw ng Kagitingan (April 9), Labor Day (May 1), Independence Day (June 12), National Heroes Day (August 27), Bonifacio Day (November 30), Christmas Day (December 25), and Rizal Day (December 30). On the other hand, the special non-working days are Chinese New Year (February 16), EDSA Revolution Anniversary (February 25), Black Saturday (March 31), Ninoy Aquino Day (August 21), and All Saints Day (November 1). December 31, December 24 and November 2 are also included in the list of special holidays.
You can see the full list of 2018 holiday pay computations here.
HR practitioners convene at 11th Philippine HR Congress
HR professionals and people managers gathered at the 11th Philippine HR Congress last August 16 and 17 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. With the theme “Total Quality Driven HR: Agility, Innovation, Excellence,” the 2-day assemblage of plenary and breakout sessions was organized by award-winning events, training, and marketing management provider Ariva! Events Management, Inc.
The HR Congress centered on discussions about the tactics and technologies that are disrupting the HR industry. Among the event’s prominent speakers were international training guru and author Roger Collantes and The Apprentice Asia Season 1 Winner Jonathan Yabut.
Training and Dev’t Asia 2017 kicks off in PH
Dubbed as “Asia’s most informative training and development symposium,” Training and Development Asia was held in the Philippines for the first time last August 17 at the SMX Convention Aura in Taguig City. Learning Curve Inc. (Philippine Licensee of Human Resources Magazine) and Lighthouse Independent Media organized the event.
Training and Development Asia 2017 consisted of case study presentations and panel discussions about issues such as maximizing returns from learning and development efforts, measuring success in talent management, and technological breakthroughs in training. Among the presenters were training executives, directors, and managers from Designing Leaders, FranklinCovey Philippines, Baker & McKenzie GSM, and BPO companies such as Teledirect Telecommerce and Concentrix.
DOLE issues order against forced wearing of high heels at work
The Department of Labor of Employment (DOLE) released a department order that prohibits companies from requiring their female employees to wear high-heeled footwear at work. The order, which was signed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III last August 25, will take effect 15 days after it is published in a national broadsheet.
The new regulation defines “high heels” as shoes with narrow and pointed heels longer than 1 inch. It is eyed to protect those who work as sales ladies, promodisers, waitresses, and flight attendants.
Earlier this month, the Associated Labor Union (ALU) called upon DOLE to look into the health risks posed by wearing high heels for long periods. The labor union said that it had received complaints from sales ladies who work for department stores and malls about the pain and discomfort caused by standing and walking in high heels for hours.
The department order also asks companies to give both male and female workers sitting breaks as well as seats to spend those breaks on.
House passes compressed workweek bill
House Bill 6152 – a bill that allows companies to freely implement 4-day or compressed workweeks – survived its third and final reading at the House of Representatives during the third week of the month. The bill permits a setup wherein an employee can work beyond 8 hours a day in exchange for up to 3 days of rest per week.
The proposed law features rules and conditions to be added to the Labor Code, particularly ones that govern having more normal work hours per day, getting overtime pay after 48 hours of work per week (under a compressed workweek scheme), and being entitled to 72 hours of rest period.
You can learn more about the compressed workweek bill here.
RTWBP-NCR prolongs deliberations on wage hike requests
The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board – National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) said that it needs more time to discuss the wage hike petitions filed by different labor groups in June. The board had promised to make a decision on the requests this month.
According to RTWPB-NCR Secretary Kim Lagcao, the members of the board are assessing socioeconomic factors, such as inflation and basic commodity prices, that will affect the increase of wages.
Among the labor unions that petitioned for the wage increase are the Association of Minimum Wage Earners and Advocates Philippine Trade and General Workers Organization (AMWEA-PTGWO), the Associated Labor Unions (ALU), and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP). The groups have demanded an increase of Php175, Php184, and Php259, respectively.
