Service incentive leave increase for Plenary approval

September 25, 2017 Community Billboard

The House Committee on Labor and Employment has approved the Committee Report increasing the service incentive leave (SIL) of employees from five (5) days to ten (10) days.
Before its approval in the Committee, a Technical Working Group (TWG) was conducted and chaired by Rep. Mark Go who is also the proponent of HB 5067. This was attended by resource persons from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as well as the side of the employer groups from People’s Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP), Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) and Bankers’ Association of the Philippines (BAP).
“In our present law, employers are not required to grant sickness and vacation leaves. These leave incentives are given based on the prerogative of the employers either by express stipulation on the employees’ contract or thru collective bargaining arrangement,” Go stressed.
Atty. Benjo Benevidez from the Bureau of Labor Relations (BLR) of DOLE has expressed the agency’s full support for the proposed measure stating that the noble purpose of the bill is to incentivize the service rendered by the employees except those businesses which belongs to the microenterprises.
BAP representative Atty. Louie Roño said that BAP currently implements 15 days leave for their employees.
The Baguio solon emphasized that the increase paid leaves will be beneficial to the employees which can boost their morale and level of satisfaction thereby increasing their productivity and performance. “This would allow the employees to take respite from work, to rest and attend to their personal needs and other emergencies that may arise,” Go said.
Overall, the resource persons interposed no objection on the said measure. This will now be scheduled in the Plenary for its approval on Second Reading. PR / ABN