The protracted standoff between Customs, immigration and quarantine personnel at Naia and Mactan International Airport on one hand and the Board of Airline Representatives on the other over the issue of overtime pay may come to a head sooner than expected. Airlines, both domestic and foreign, still refuse to cover these employees’ overtime pay despite the fact that this has been the practice for the past 35 years.
I have been told that Customs, immigration and quarantine personnel at the two international airports have decided to stop working beyond the eight-hour period required of them as government personnel.
Since Customs is the one that opens doors for airlines coming in and going out, and immigration is the one that clears visas upon entry, the issue has international repercussions. And all because domestic and foreign airlines have utter disregard for the rule of law.
The crisis started when the Court of Appeals ruled that overtime pay for Customs, immigration and quarantine constituted “double compensation” and was therefore illegal. A motion for reconsideration was filed. Since the matter involved a constitutional question, it could even be elevated to the Supreme Court.
But the Board of Airline Representatives, headed by the Philippine Air Lines, decided instead to stop paying the overtime charges disregarding the fact that doing so was a violation of the rule of law. The Board has even demanded that the overtime pay should come from an additional $1 terminal fee, and that it should be government that should pay the overtime, which is an impossible demand since the national budget does not envision overtime pay for Customs, immigration and quarantine. The airlines even tried to offer paying only 50 percent—a clear slap on the face of Customs, immigration and quarantine.
Unless this crisis is resolved soon, the country’s tourism, attempts to attract foreign investment and its image are doomed to suffer. The President must step in. There is too much at stake. –Emil Jurado, Manila Standard Today
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
September –
5 Sept – Intl Day of Charity
7 Sept – Intl Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
8 Sept – International Literacy Day
12 Sept – United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 Sept – International Day of Democracy
16 Sept – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
17 Sept – World Patient Safety Day
18 Sept – International Equal Pay Day
21 Sept – International Day of Peace
26 Sept – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
27 Sept – World Tourism Day
28 Sept – International Day for Universal Access to Information
29 Sept – International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
30 Sept – World Maritime Day
Monthly Observances:
Health, Safety and Sanitation Month
National Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month
National Peace Consciousness Month
Social Security Month
Rule of Law Month
National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 4)
Weekly Observances:
Sept 17 – 23:
World Clean and Green Week
Week 2: Education Week
Week 4: Medicine Week
Last Week: National Family Week
Daily Observances:
Third Saturday:
International Coastal Clean-up Day
Third Monday: World Health Day
Last Friday: National Maritime Day
Sept 8: National Literacy Day
Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day
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