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Employers reminded of 13th month pay report

Employers reminded of 13th month pay report

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has reminded all private sector employers to submit their compliance report on their workers’ 13th-month pay. Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said Friday that all employers have until Jan. 15, 2026 or three weeks after the Dec. 24, 2025 deadline on the 13th-month payout as required by law and the implementing guidelines. According to Laguesma, employers may submit their compliance report through the DOLE Establishment Report System (https://reports.dole.gov.ph). He emphasized that employers must release the 13th-month pay on or before Dec. 24, 2025, without exception. Employers who fail to comply risk facing charges and shall be processed in accordance with the Rules Implementing the Labor Code of the Philippines and the Rules of the National Labor Relations Commission. “Employers who failed to give 13th-month pay will have to pay more with moral and exemplary damages if found guilty,” added Laguesma. Under the Civil Code, monetary awards for unpaid wages and benefits may accrue interest at a rate of 6 percent per annum from the date of demand until payment is full. Additional moral and exemplary damages may be granted if the employer acted in bad faith. Aggrieved employees may file complaints with DOLE, National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Bureau of Immigration (BI) in the case of a foreign employer. To avoid litigation, Laguesma also encourages both employers, particularly struggling businesses, to dialogue with their employees so that they can meet halfway and come up with a “win-win” solution to the problem. Laguesma said the Labor department would not resort to extreme actions against companies facing hardships that failed to pay their employees the mandatory 13th-month pay because doing so would leave the workers on the losing end. “We will not close down companies that cannot afford to pay their workers their 13th-month pay. We don’t like to deprive the workers of their opportunities to get their rightful benefits and continue with their jobs,” added Laguesma. The 13th-month pay is a statutory right of workers. Under Labor Advisory 16, series of 2025, the 13th-month pay applies to all rank-and-file employees in the private sector, regardless of position, employment status, or wage payment method, provided they have worked for at least one month during the calendar year. It includes employees paid on a piece-rate basis, those receiving fixed or guaranteed wages plus commissions, workers with multiple employers, and even those who have resigned, been terminated, or were on maternity leave with a salary differential. Presidential Decree (PD) 851, also known as the Thirteenth Month Pay Law, requires all employers to pay their employees one month’s equivalent salary on or before Dec. 24th every year. According to the DOLE advisory, the minimum 13th-month pay shall not be less than one-twelfth (1/12) of the total basic salary earned by an employee within the calendar year. It is computed as follows: total basic salary / 12 months = proportionate 13th month pay DOLE explained that “basic salary” includes all earnings for services rendered but excludes allowances and benefits, such as overtime pay, night shift differential, holiday pay, unused leave credits, and cost-of-living allowances — unless explicitly treated as part of the basic salary under company policy or collective agreements. For piece-rate workers, the computation is based on their total production earnings divided by twelve. Meanwhile, employees who earn fixed wages plus commissions receive their 13th-month pay computed on the fixed wage alone, consistent with Supreme Court jurisprudence (Boie-Takeda Chemicals, Inc. v. De la Serna). As for domestic helpers or kasambahay, they are also entitled to 13th-month pay as provided for under Republic Act 10361, the Domestic Workers Act or Batas Kasambahay. Under Section 2 of RA 10361, classified as kasambahay, whether on a live-in or live-out arrangement, are general house help, yaya, cook, gardener, laundry person or any person who regularly performs domestic work in one household on an occupational basis. Not covered are service providers, family drivers, children under foster family arrangement and any other person who performs work occasionally or sporadically and not on an occupational basis.

No winner in Ultra, Mega lotto draws for Dec 26

No winner in Ultra, Mega lotto draws for Dec 26

MANILA, Philippines — There were no winners in the Ultra lotto 6/58 and Mega lotto 6/45 draws on Friday night, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said. The winning combination for Ultra lotto 6/58 was 17-4-50-19-46-28 which had a jackpot prize of P49,500,000.00. There was also no winner for the Mega lotto 6/45 draw, which had a winning combination of 36-20-18-32-6-24 for a jackpot prize of P8,910,000.00.

Two former 4Ps kids in top spots of LET 2025

Two former 4Ps kids in top spots of LET 2025

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) announced on Friday that two former monitored children under the agency’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4PH) have ranked among the topnotchers of the September and November 2025 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET). “The Department extends its congratulations to former 4Ps monitored children Chariz Ann Rillamas Lucero and Clyde Zeph Payusan for once again demonstrating that effective government interventions, combined with hard work and dedication, can help achieve our mission of breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty,” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, also DSWD’s spokesperson, said. Lucero, of San Vicente, Ilocos Sur, landed in the 7th spot in the LET-Secondary Level, while Payusan, of Dalaguete, Cebu, ranked 9th in the LET-Elementary Level. Payusan expressed his gratitude to 4Ps for supporting his academic journey in his message posted on the Facebook page of the DSWD regional office. “The 4Ps goes beyond financial aid; it genuinely helps lessen the educational and economic struggles of families like ours,” he said. Dumlao said the achievements of the former 4Ps monitored children highlight the Marcos Administration’s goal to improve the lives of poor and marginalized families primarily through health and education. Meanwhile, Marvine Sabal, of Baroy, Lanao del Norte, was still in Grade 6 when his family became 4PS beneficiaries. At that time, he admits that he did not fully understand the importance of the assistance his family was receiving. “What seemed like a simple cash grant would later become a crucial lifeline that helped me pursue my education,” he said. He reiterated that through the 4Ps, his family received financial assistance that helped them meet their daily needs and education. His family graduated from the program during his final year in high school after the local social welfare and development office assessed that their living conditions had improved. He was thankful to the DSWD for standing by him during the most challenging moments of his life and for helping support his dreams. Today, those dreams have become a reality, as proven by the professional license he earned from the Professional Regulation Commission, the agency said. "Hello, Department of Social Welfare and Development - DSWD! I am Marvine B. Sabal, a beneficiary of the 4Ps program.  I am now a licensed teacher and currently teaching in DepEd," he proudly shared on Facebook. Launched in 2008 and institutionalized in 2019, the 4Ps provides conditional cash grants to more than four million family beneficiaries, whose children get support until they graduate from elementary and senior high school, and are given nutrition grants. (Arlie O. Calalo)

CFO gets inputs from PH students in Japan

CFO gets inputs from PH students in Japan

COMMISSION on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Secretary Dante Ang II said the agency conducted a focus group discussion (FGD) in Japan to gather crucial policy inputs from scholars it will use in laying the groundwork for inclusive, long-term youth programs abroad. Ang said on Friday a CFO team led the discussion that assessed the challenges faced by Filipino students, particularly in the Kansai region. The team also planned out a structured approach to support systems in collaboration with the Kyoto Association of Pinoy Scholars (KAPS). During the discussion, the Filipino students shared their experiences and made recommendations for optimizing support, from pre-departure planning to post-graduation reintegration into the Philippine workforce. They also suggested policy intervention, aligning with the CFO’s political connection mandate and the administration’s goal of facilitating better governance. Ang said the students want the government to exempt them from the travel tax and help lighten their financial load. They also requested the development of clearer, accessible information regarding Filipino student visas granted for Japan. The participants recommended implementing mandatory Registration and Pre-Departure Seminar and Guidebooks for Filipino scholars, similar to those required for US J-1 visa holders, to clarify rights, responsibilities, and support systems before deployment. The students highlighted the scarcity of established post-graduation programs once they return home. They said there is a lack of clarity regarding skills utilization, particularly in regulated fields like medicine and education. The students proposed a standardized policy to sort out inconsistent service-return requirements across scholarship programs. Ang said the CFO will highly consider the students’ proposals for the creation of a larger organization representing Filipino students in Japan that will promote unified advocacy and inclusivity beyond localized groups like KAPS, and accreditation for student organizations to facilitate coordination with embassies, consulates, and educational institutions. While government support mechanisms already exist, the feedback confirms the need for long-term policies and plans consistent with the administration’s Bagong Pilipinas vision, Ang said.

Banatao, known 'father of Philippine semiconductor industry, ' dies at 79

Banatao, known 'father of Philippine semiconductor industry, ' dies at 79

MANILA, Philippines — Diosdado “Dado” Banatao, known as the father of the Philippine semiconductor industry and for his contributions in technology, died on Christmas Day, his family confirmed on Friday. He was 79 years old. “The Banatao Family regrets to share the sad news that our beloved Dado passed peacefully on December 25, 2025, surrounded by family and friends. He was 5 months shy of his 80th birthday, and ultimately succumbed to complications from a neurological disorder that hit him late in his life,” the family’s statement read. “We are mourning his loss, but take comfort from the time spent with him during this Christmas season, and that his fight with this disease is over. We thank everyone for all the messages of support and prayers during this time,” they added. A memorial page set up for Banatao said he died on the campus of his alma mater, Stanford University, in the United States. News of his death was first mentioned by former finance secretary Cesar Purisima. “Today we mourn the passing of Diosdado ‘Dado’ Banatao, a brilliant engineer, visionary tech entrepreneur, and a true pride of the Philippines. From humble beginnings in Cagayan Valley, where he once walked barefoot to school, Dado’s journey to Silicon Valley became one of the most inspiring Filipino success stories on the global stage,” Purisima said in a Facebook post on Friday. In Purisima’s post, he said that Banatao was known for shaping the modern personal computer, was behind innovations in the semiconductor industry that included first 10-Mbit Ethernet CMOS chip, the system logic chipsets for the IBM PC-XT and PC-AT, the first graphics accelerator chip, and the pioneering local bus architecture, technologies that have become foundational to today’s computing industry. Banatao also founded Silicon Valley companies that included Mostron, Chips & Technologies, S3 Graphics, and Tallwood Venture Capital. He and his wife, Maria, founded the Philippine Development (PhilDev) Foundation in 2011, which is focused on eradicating poverty and uplift the Filipino community. “He believed deeply in Filipino talent and often emphasized that talent was never the problem, what mattered was opportunity and access to world-class technology education. Through PhilDev, he worked tirelessly to open doors for young Filipinos, empowering them to dream bigger and compete globally,” Purisima said in his tribute to the late engineer. Banatao was born in Iguig, Cagayan on May 23, 1946 and was known for his rags to riches story. He graduated cum laude in Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in Mapua University and took up Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Stanford University in 1972. In Banatao’s memory, donations to PhilDev are appreciated by the family, while wake and funeral details are being finalized.