Couple sue water firm of Montanos

IN Bohol , getting back at an unjust employer is a rarity. Well, until somebody gets fired. Exactly the same day the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board opened the discussions for another P75 - P95 increase over and above the P200 daily wage for Central Visayas , two purified water employees shouted unfair labor practices. But only after getting the boot. Complainants Tito and Annalou Guingguing initially thought P150 to P170 is good enough, otherwise they would have cried foul earlier.

In Bohol , what is enough is P200 per day for non agricultural workers, said the PTWPB in its June 2005 decision. It would have been perfectly okay even then for the Baclayanon employees of Montano Purified Water, after all, they are in for a hot water to sell with a top actor as one of its owners. Then, they were connected with the company for more than five years.

Actor Cesar Montano and his brother Rommel Manhilot own the Montano Purified Water based in San Roque, Baclayon town. Then Rommel's wife thought another P10 over the P150 or P170 would be humane. She then arranged the immediate salary increases effective last April. That was when the goodwill gesture aimed at quenching the thirst for fatter paycheck bounced back and sprayed at them. Manhilot , the water firm's operations officer, upon learning of the unauthorized increase reportedly blew his top. Incensed, Rommel, who learned of the increase only after about five paychecks later asked who authorized the increase. When told that the increase was a decision that came from his wife, this enraged him and finally booted out the two employees effective June 19.

Manhilot's wife accordingly denied she authorized the increase despite the fact that she, who often stays at the office may have signed the payrolls for April, May and June 1-15,before her husband learned of the development. For this, Manhilot allegedly dismissed the two illegally, severing years of being connected with the company. Complaints of unfair labor practice, illegal dismissal, non-payment of salaries and wages, 13th month pay violations and non payment of separation pay is now filed before the National labor Relations Commission against Montano Purified Water. The Post tried to get in touch with the Manhilot couple last night to get their side of this story but their phone only kept on ringing.

In Bohol , where businessmen admit that only about 20% pay religiously the minimum wage, hard life has pushed many to enslave themselves at measly less than a hundred per day. P100 per day is much better than having nothing at all, many would reason out, so nobody complains and everyone is happy, said lawyer Hidolito Pascual, an employer representative at the wage board.

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