Position Paper, Labor Case

Republic of the Philippines  NAT  NATIONAL LABOR LABOR RELAT RELATIONS COMMISSION Regional Arbitration Arbitration Branch No. I Rosario!"atuslao Streets# Bacolo$ Cit% RENATO RITO,   Co&plainant#

! 'ersus !

RAB CASE NO.

HDA. HDA. SANTO SANTOL/ L/ FELIP FELIPE E DAT DATO LACSON,   Respon$ent. ( !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (

POSITION PAPER  PAPER 

Respon Respon$en $ent# t# thru thru the un$ers un$ersign igne$ e$ counse counsell an$ to this this )onora )onorable ble Co&&ission &ost respectfull% sub&its this position paper# an$ states that* MATERIAL DATES

+uring the &an$ator% conciliation conference hel$ on ,ebruar% -# -/0# the )onorable Labor Arbiter $irecte$ the parties to file si&ultaneousl% their respecti'e position papers 1ithin t1ent% 2-/3 $a%s# or no later than March 04# -/0. STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Co&p Co&pla lain inan antt file file$ $ the the inst instan antt case case for for alle allege ge$ $ non! non!pa pa%& %&en entt of  retire&ent pa%# ser'ice incenti'e lea'e pa% an$ 05 th &onth pa%.

STATEMENT STATEMENT OF FACTS

Respon$ent in this case is one of the o1ners of )acien$a Santol# also 6no1n as )acien$a Sta. Maria# consisting of 77. hectares of lan$# &ore or  less# locate$ at Baranga% 8one 09# Talisa% Cit%. )acien$a Sta. Maria has alrea$% been sub$i'i$e$ into three lots consisting of -:.9 hectares# &ore or  less# 1ith one portion belonging to Ma. ;esusa +. Lacson# another portion  belonging to Rene +. Lacson# an$ the thir$ portion belonging to herein Respon$ent. Pa%&ent of the laborers< 1ages for Respon$ent=s far& are &anage$ b% Mr. Ru$% M. Monillo as the far& secretar%# an$ has custo$% of the pa%rolls# recor$s of cash a$'ances# an$ recor$s pertinent to the operations of the far&.

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Respon$ent ac6no1le$ges that Co&plainant 1as a far& laborer at )acien$a Santol $oing seasonal 1or6 on a pa6%a1 basis# for 1hich he 1as  pai$ the applicable  pakyaw rates as prescribe$ b% the +epart&ent of Labor  an$ E&plo%&ent 2+OLE3 for agricultural 1or6ers in the sugar in$ustr%. Co&plainant Rito began to 1or6 for )acien$a Sta. Maria so&eti&e in 0:7-# 1hen the hacien$a has not %et been sub$i'i$e$# until his retire&ent in the %ear -/00. >pon his retire&ent in the %ear -/00# Respon$ent instructe$ Co&plainant to procee$ to Mr. Monillo for the co&putation of his retire&ent  pa% on the basis of his pa%roll recor$s. Mr. Monillo infor&e$ Co&plainant that base$ on the recor$s in his custo$%# Co&plainant
Co&plainant $isagree$ on the &anner of co&putation an$ refuse$ to accept the retire&ent pa% as co&pute$ b% Mr. Monillo. Co&plainant subseuentl% file$ a co&plaint before this )onorable Co&&ission# 1here he clai&s non!pa%&ent of retire&ent pa%# ser'ice incenti'e lea'e pa% an$ 05 th &onth pa%. After ha'ing faile$ to arri'e at a settle&ent $uring the &an$ator% conciliation conference# the parties 1ere or$ere$ to sub&it their respecti'e  position papers. ISSUES

Respon$ent respectfull% sub&its the follo1ing issues for the resolution of the )onorable Co&&ission* 203 hether or not Respon$ent 1as correct in co&puting retire&ent  pa% $ue to Co&plainant at P0#4?-.0? 2-3 hether or not Respon$ent is liable for pa%&ent of ser'ice incenti'e lea'e pa% an$ 05 th &onth pa% to the Co&plainant.

I. RESPONDENT CORRECTLY COMPUTED THE RETIREMENT BENEFIT DUE TO COMPLAINANT TO BE P14,762.16.

In co&puting the retire&ent pa% $ue to Co&plainant# Mr. Monillo sought gui$ance fro& the pro'isions of the “Handbook on Worker’s  Statutory Monetary Benefits”  prepare$ b% the Bureau of or6ing -

Con$itions! +epart&ent of Labor an$ E&plo%&ent# specificall% Chapter  02+3# 1hich prescribes the &anner of co&putation of DRetire&ent Benefits of or6ers 1ho are Pai$ b% Results# to 1it* D,or co'ere$ 1or6ers 1ho are pai$ b% results an$ $o not ha'e a fi(e$ &onthl% salar% rate# the basis for the $eter&ination of the salar% for fifteen 2093 $a%s shall be their a'erage $ail% salar% 2A+S3. The A+S is $eri'e$ b% $i'i$ing the total salar% or earnings for the last t1el'e &onths rec6one$ fro& the $ate of retire&ent b% the nu&ber of  actual 1or6ing $a%s in that particular perio$# pro'i$e$ that the $eter&ination of rates of pa%&ent b% results are in accor$ance 1ith the establishe$ regulations.

Mr. Monillo 1as able to get the total earnings recei'e$ b% Co&plainant for the %ear -/00 fro& the 05 th &onth pa%roll# hereto attache$ as Anne( FFFF# in the a&ount of P05#7/?.?. To get the A+S of  Co&plainant# Mr. Monillo $i'i$e$ this a&ount b% FFFFF $a%s# 1hich# base$ on the pa%rolls fro& ;anuar% -/00 to +ece&ber -/00# 1as the nu&ber of  actual 1or6ing $a%s of Co&plainant in the %ear -/00. Respon$ent respectfull% sub&its the pa%rolls for the %ear -/00# hereto attache$ as Anne(es FFFFFFF. Mr. Monillo then &ultiplie$ the A+S b% --.9 $a%s an$ -: %ears# as  prescribe$ b% Chapter 052A3 of the  Handbook # an$ arri'e$ at the a&ount of  P9/#/?.49. Mr. Monillo $i'i$e$ this a&ount b% t1o# in consonance 1ith the  practice in the sugar in$ustr%# for retire&ent purposes onl%# of ta6ing into account that seasonal 1or6ers onl% 1or6 for a fraction of the %ear an$ $o not 1or6 $uring the off!season# as oppose$ to regular 1or6ers 1ho 1or6 for the 1hole %ear. This practice is in accor$ance 1ith the ruling of the Supre&e Court in the case of  Bacolod-Murcia Milling Company, nc. !s" #$%C , 2".R. No. 7-4-# No'e&ber -0# 0::03# 1hich states that* Dhile un$er pre'ailing Gurispru$ence# Canete &a% be consi$ere$ as in regular e&plo%&ent e'en $uring those %ears 1hen she 1as &erel% a seasonal 1or6er# that legal conclusion 1ill hol$ true onl% in cases in'ol'ing the $eter&ination of an e&plo%er!e&plo%ee relationship or securit% of tenure. But fo !t"!#!$t %u%o&!&, t'! ("&t"$)t"o$ *!t+!!$  &!&o$- $(  !u- +o! #u&t *! (+$ "$ 0"!+ of t'! #t!"-"t of t'! -!$t' of &!0")! *!"$ !$(!!( * t'! !#%-o!! "$  !. To !ut! t'! &!&o$*-! +o! +"t'  !u- !#%-o!! $t '"# t'! &#! !t"!#!$t *!$!f"t& "& o&&- u$f" to t'! !u- !#%-o!! +'o '& !$(!!( &!0")! t'ou'out t'! !$t"! ! . I$(!!(, * t'! 0! $tu! of '"& +o, t'! &!&o$- -*o! )$$ot !$3o t'! &#! !t"!#!$t %"0"-!!& & t'! !u- +o!. T'! &!&o$- -*o! +o& o$- fo  f)t"o$ of ! . An$ &ore 5

often than not# he is allo1e$ b% his e&plo%er to see6 e&plo%&ent else1here $uring off!season or te&porar% la%!off for econo&ic necessit%. ,ro& the a&ount of P-9#/-5.57 co&pute$ b% Mr. Monillo# he $e$ucte$ the re&aining balance of the a$'ances &a$e b% Respon$ent to Co&plainant in the a&ount of P0/#-?0.--# lea'ing the a&ount of  P14,762.16 as the retire&ent benefit $ue for pa%&ent to the Co&plainant. Respon$ent respectfull% sub&its that the co&putation &a$e b% Respon$ent of the retire&ent benefit $ue to Co&plainant is in accor$ance 1ith the &anner prescribe$ b% la1. II. COMPLAINANT HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID HIS 1TH MONTH PAY

Respon$ent has alrea$% pai$ the 05 th &onth pa% $ue to the Co&plainant. Mr. Monillo 1ho as far& secretar% personall% release$ the 05 th &onth pa% to herein Co&plainant an$ attests to the fact of pa%&ent. In support thereof# Respon$ent respectfull% sub&its the 05th &onth pa%rolls for  the %ears -/0/ an$ -/00. 2Anne(es DA!0 an$ DA!-# respecti'el%3 The a&ount of 05 th &onth pa% pai$ to Co&plainant 1as base$ on the actual 1or6  $one b% the Co&plainant for the applicable %ear# 1hich in turn 1ere base$ on the pakyaw rates prescribe$ b% the +OLE for agricultural 1or6ers in the sugarcane in$ustr%. Entries in the pa%rolls# being entries in the course of   business# enGo% the presu&ption of regularit% un$er Rule 05/# Section 5 of  the Rules of Court# an$ are  prima facie e'i$ence of the fact of pa%&ent of  the 05th &onth pa% to herein Co&plainant. As such# Co&plainants< clai& for  the pa%&ent of 05 th &onth pa% &ust be $is&isse$. 2 &ar 'sia, nc" !s" Corona, ".R. No. 09:79# August -# -//3 III. COMPLAINANT IS NOT ENTITLED TO THE PAYMENT OF SER5ICE INCENTI5E LEA5E PAY

It &ust be stresse$ that herein Co&plainant is a far& laborer 1ho is  pai$ for ser'ices ren$ere$ on the basis of  pakyaw rates as prescribe$ b% the +OLE for agricultural 1or6ers in the sugar in$ustr%. As a  pakyaw 1or6er# Co&plainant is an e&plo%ee 1ho is engage$ on tas6 or contract basis# or  1ho is pai$ a fi(e$ a&ount for perfor&ing his 1or6# an$ is therefore not entitle$ to ser'ice incenti'e lea'e pursuant to Section 02$3# Rule # Boo6 III of the (mnibus %ules mplementing t)e $abor Code" In light thereof# Co&plainant
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Co&plainant
)ERE,ORE# pre&ises consi$ere$# it is respectfull% pra%e$ of the )onorable Labor Arbiter that an or$er be issue$ confir&ing the co&putation of Co&plainantLLH S>BMITTE+. March 04# -/0# Bacolo$ Cit%.

MICHELLE 5ARCA ONAA Counsel for the Respondent  -n$ ,lr. St. Therese Bl$g. Cor. Rial!Locsin Sts. Bacolo$ Cit% Tel. No. 2/535//: Roll No. :97 MCLE I No. //000::J-!9!-/05 IBP No. :/?05/J0!:!-/05JBacolo$ Cit% PTR No. 9/97-7-J0!:!-/05JBacolo$ Cit%

Cop% furnishe$* RENATO RITO

Bacolo$ Cit%

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