Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia issued an executive advisory urging local business owners, with the city currently under a general community quarantine due to the coronavirus disease, or Covid-19, to, if possible, provide their employees a one-month extension of their “gratuity pay,” which would be equivalent to their monthly salary or their 13th month pay.

O Residences proprietor Edgar Sy, who proposed the benefit during a recent meeting with the mayor and other business owners, said the payout could also be a partial advance.

The advisory went on to note, “Low-income earners should also be able to sustain the needs of their families during the quarantine period.” It also pointed out the impact on worker income due to reduced hours and “No work, No pay” policies.

The mayor said, with workers earning less because of less hours, “They will not be able to sustain themselves in the event of a prolonged quarantine.” He added, the situation would only be exacerbated if the city were placed under an enhanced community quarantine, where offices and businesses were closed./DGB, WDJ