The Department of Labor and Employment on Friday urged employers to comply with the prescribed release of 13th month pay the deadline of which is today, 24 December.

As of yesterday, some workers reportedly have yet to receive their much-awaited year-end windfall.

Citing Section 2 of Presidential Decree No. 851, DoLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said that releasing the 13th-month pay to workers gives them time to budget for the upcoming holiday peak.

"We have urged employers not to wait for the deadline so that our workers and their families could be given the time to decide on how to spend their 13th month pay," Laguesma said.

Micro, small and medium enterprises are also urged to grant 13th month pay to workers, but Laguesma said that they could avail of a no-interest and no-collateral loan of P15,000 through Small Business Corporation, a loan facility managed by the Department of Trade and Industry.

"There are no exemptions and we cannot exempt [them]. We understand the plight of small businesses that haven't fully recovered from the pandemic or are still starting their operations. However, the law is harsh but it is the law that states that all businesses that are covered must pay.

Laguesma added that arrangements on the release of 13thmonth pay could be made between employers of workers

Despite reminders from DOLE on the prescribed period to release the 13th month pay to workers, some of them are still grappling with the possibility of late payments from their employers.

John (not his real name), a customer service representative, told the Daily Tribune that his company is still not sure when to grant their 13th month pay, as well as his next salary due to internal financial problems.

He said the delay could affect his ability to pay expenses that are currently pending, as well as in buying Christmas gifts for the holidays.

"They should have prepared months in advance. If they know that this could happen and this has already happened to our other colleagues, they should try to put things forward in advance," he added.