DOLE reminds bus firms to comply with fixed salary rule

MANILA, Philippines – Metro Manila bus firms are now tasked to give fixed monthly salaries as well as performance incentives to their drivers and conductors after the Department of Labor and Employment started the implementation of its Department Order 118-12 on Sunday.

Labor Communications Office director Nicon Fameronag told Radyo Inquirer 990AM in an interview Monday that bus drivers and conductors should now receive fixed salaries not lower than minimum wage as well as other benefits and incentives from their employers.

He said that DOLE’s order was in response the poor state of the employment of bus drivers and conductors which they believed to be playing a major factor to the rise in road accidents in the metropolis.

“Kalunos-lunos ang employment situation ng bus drivers at conductors,” said Fameronag, pointing out how bus workers’ salaries were purely based on commission.

He said that bus employees work past the usual eight hours and receive no benefits from their employers.

“Kaya nag-uunahan sila sa pasahero para makaabot sa commission. Hindi nila isinasaalang-alang ang kaligtasan ng mga pasahero o welfare nila mismo. Ang bus kahit masira basta may commission.”

Fameronag said that they sought to improve bus firms’ performances through the order and added that some bus firms have already reached agreements with their workers on performance pay based on ridership, safety performance, route, and the bus company’s profit.

He however warned bus firms that they should have started working on meeting the other provisions of the said order such as the creation of a health and safety committee and the improvement of their employees’ workplaces.

These provisions should have been implemented even before the one on fixed salary took effect, he said.

“Ngayong linggong ito iikot ang composite team ng LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) at NWPC (National Wages and Productivity Commission) at titingnan ang mga opisina at records nila kung tumutupad na sila sa order,” Fameronag said.

“Dapat magpasweldo na sila sa akinse,” he added.

LTFRB has earlier released a memorandum requiring bus firms to prove their compliance to Dole’s department order through labor standards compliance certificates.

Without the said certificate, Fameronag said that LTFRB will not renew a bus operator’s franchise.

For more of the interview, listen to Radyo Inquirer 990AM.