Good news: tuloy ang 13th month pay payment!

The working people are happy and thankful to Labor Secretary Silvestre  Bello for breaking the 13th month pay payment deadlock by its decision today to heed their appeal to disallow the deferment of payment and give exemptions to the payment of 13th month pay of empkoyees this year.

This is definitely a good news to millions of employees who were demoralized these past two weeks upon knowing that their 13th month pay payment might be deferred or altogether scrapped. 

We laud Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez for supporting the decision of DOLE by way of the DTI helping troubled businesses pay their 13th month pay obligations on time by aiding them to loan facilities at very low interest. 

Kahit paano may pangtulong pambili ng pang-noche buena ang mga manggagawa at kanilang pamilya ngayong Pasko. 

Let us underscore the tripartite dialogue process discussion that took place brokered by Bello as key to the seeming 13th month pay payment impass between labor groups, employers and business and government. 

This positive development proves that social dialogue between labor, business and government particularly on important issues involving these key sectors really works.