News Briefs: Dec. 5, 2018
Employers told: Your GC is good, but we need cash
A labor group warned employers on Tuesday that they might end up paying more from money claims if they failed to give the mandatory 13th month pay to their workers by Christmas Eve.
The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) also reminded employers that the 13th month bonus, which workers should get on or before Dec. 24, must be in cash and not in other denominations like groceries or gift checks (GCs).
Erring employers may be charged at the Department of Labor and Employment or at the National Labor Relations Commission for nonpayment.
The case would be treated as a money claim, ALU-TUCP said. —Jovic Yee
Comelec sets raffle for party-list groups’ listing
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will hold on Wednesday (Dec. 5) a raffle to determine the order of listing of party-list groups on ballots for the 2019 midterm elections.
In an interview, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the raffle would be through a computer program.
“No more lottery drum,” he said.
Party-list groups, who failed to send a representative to the raffle, would be considered as having waived their right to participate in the raffle.
Jimenez said those who failed to be at the raffle would have to settle for alphabetical listing. —Tina G. Santos
2 in 5 Filipinos use internet, says SWS survey result
Two in 5 Filipino adults use the internet, with the number of internet users highest among younger Filipinos, those in Metro Manila, the upper and middle classes and college graduates, results of a September Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.
In the Sept. 15 to 23 survey, 41 percent of Filipino adults said they used the internet, just a point higher from 40 percent in June.
In Metro Manila, where internet use has been historically highest among areas, the number of adult Filipinos who said they used the internet rose from 60 percent in June to 64 percent in September.
Internet use was also higher in urban areas, 54 percent, compared with 31 percent in rural areas, the results showed. —Inquirer Research
