Okada Manila give staff half of 13th month pay

Casino operator takes steps to financially support staff during the forced casino closure due to Covid-19.

Philippines.- Okada Manila has announced that it will give staff half of their mandatory 13th-month pay this month. The amount is to be settled by no later than April 30.

“To help you financially during these hard times, Okada Manila will release half of your 13th-month pay no later than April 30,” company President, Takashi Oya, said in a letter sent to employees.

“Another means of support you can look to is [the human resources department] initiative of connecting team members with other financial aid programmes,” Oya added.

Labour regulations in the Philippines mandate employers grant 13th-month pay to all “rank-and-file employees”. This means all employees except senior managers.

The Bureau of Working Conditions of the Department of Labor and Employment of the Philippines explains that “the 13th-month pay shall not be less than one-twelfth of the total basic salary earned by an employee within a calendar year.”

Such benefit “should be paid not later than December 24 of each year”. An employer can split the benefit into two payments.

In his message to the company’s employees, Oya added: “Okada Manila and Universal Entertainment have taken the needed steps to ensure that during the extended community quarantine, you will be compensated while also having your benefits in effect.

“In order to make this possible, a number of Okada Manila senior executives have volunteered to take pay cuts in order to add to the workforce fund.

“Finally, I would like to assure you that your jobs will be here once we all go back to Okada Manila.”

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, Philippines authorities have extended the lockdown of the country’s main island, Luzon, until April 30, while casinos in the Philippines have been subject to a business pause since mid-March.