Matula wants higher penalty for violators of Labor Code

MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial aspirant Sonny Matula wants a higher penalty for violators of the Labor Code, should he win a seat in the upper chamber.

Matula on Sunday noted that the Labor Code is not observed because the penalty for its violation is low.

“Bakit patuloy na vina-violate ng maraming employers [ang Labor Code]?… Dahil ito ay hindi na-obserba dahil mababa lang po ang penalty. Du’n sa Article 303 ng Labor Code Agreement natin, P1,000 lamang hanggang P10,000 ang penalty ng nagva-violate ng mga provision ng Labor Code,” he said during the BISErbisyong LENI program on DZXL.

(Why do many employers continue to violate the Labor Code? Because it is not observed due to the low penalty. Under Article 303 of the Labor Code Agreement, P1,000 to P10,000 is the penalty for violators of the code’s provisions.)

The labor leader said that he will push to increase the penalty of violating employers up to P50,000 per affected employee.

READ: Labor leader Sonny Matula completes Robredo’s senatorial slate

“Susuyurin natin ‘yung Article 303 ng Labor Code at ‘yung Article 106 ng Labor Code. I-review natin para mabigyan ng mas mabigat na penalty ang pagva-violate ng mga provision ng Labor Code,” said Matula.

(We will look into Article 303 and Article 106 of the Labor Code. We will review it to give stiffer penalties to violators of the code’s provisions.)

“Gawin nating P30,000 bawat manggagawang nabiktima o P50,000 bawat manggagawang nabiktima ng labor only contracting, itong endo, para syempre ‘yung ating mga management o mga employers ay mayroong iko-konsidera na pag-respeto sa batas dahil mabigat ang penalty,” he added.

(Let us make it P30,000 or P50,000 per worker who is victimized by the labor only contracting, this endo, so that managements and employers consider respecting the law due to harsher penalties.)

A bill seeking to end “endo” or labor contractualization was earlier filed by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian in the Senate which was then vetoed by President Rodrigo Duterte despite being one of his campaign agenda in the 2016 polls.

READ: Villanueva plans to refile ‘End Endo’ bill in next Congress

Citing the International Labor Organization, Matula said that there are seven to 10 million workers who are under precarious working arrangements such as endo.

READ: Decent work, decent life

Matula is running under the slate of presidential bet and incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo.

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