Let’s make this clear: we don’t like Tito Sotto for many, many reasons we’ve already outlined, but we have to concede that every now and then, the man does have some good ideas. This new bill he filed in the Senate (which he already tried to file years ago) that seeks a 14th month pay is one of them.
Sotto’s Senate bill wants all rank-and-file employees in the private sector to get a 14th month pay, because he notes that we spend most, if not all, of our 13th month pay for Christmas, whether it’s festivities or gifts. Under Sotto’s proposed system, the 13th month pay would be paid sometime around the middle of the year, while the 14th month—which should not be less than 1/12th of the employee’s yearly salary—becomes the new Christmas bonus.
For all his blind, outdated beliefs, the senator recognizes that the recent P10 increase in the minimum wage (yes, seriously) was “too small,” and prices going up makes such an increase (if it could even be called that) negligible.
Our only concern now is that stingy businesses might find a way to screw employees out of getting paid two bonuses in a year, making situations even worse. It isn’t the most perfect solution, but we have to give it to him—it’s nowhere near a terrible idea.
Photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer