• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has assured 28 Negrense sugar workers of government support, promising to elevate their labor-related complaints directly to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Francis Tolentino.
During a recent meeting with the complainants, Laurel extended P5,000 in immediate financial assistance to each worker and pledged to ask the DOLE to look closely into their allegations regarding unfair labor practices and unjust retirement payouts.
The workers had reached out to the DA after alleging decades of unfair labor practices while employed at the sugar estate owned by Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr., president of the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations.
In a formal letter addressed to Laurel, the 28 Negrense workers claimed they were consistently underpaid and denied legally mandated benefits throughout their employment.
Their grievances include non-payment of 13th-month pay and carabao share, alleged omission of their mandated three-percent share from the Social Amelioration Bonus, and questioned fairness and computation of the retirement benefits they ultimately received.
In response to the allegations, Valderrama, speaking through his legal counsel, denounced the workers’ claims as “false, if not malicious.”
He also maintained that payroll and attendance records presented during initial DOLE conferences already debunked the underpayment accusations.
Welcoming an upcoming DOLE farm inspection that will audit payrolls and time records, Valderrama expressed confidence that the investigation will fully clear his name. | GPB
