Power supply in Naga City back to normal

By Ana-liza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, June 20 (PIA) -- Power supply in this city is now back to normal after months of intermittent brown outs, including a 48-hour power outage in extensive parts of Naga Wednesday last week.

Business transactions were suspended while government services were also derailed especially those using computers to process their services when the breaker of the 20-MVA transformer of Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CASURECO) II broke down last week.

This was an added burden to the consumers who suffered in recent months of power shedding, lasting from 6 to 8 hours or more to give way to the efficient installation of power lines of the said cooperative.

Aside from Naga areas, the municipalities of Milaor and Minalabac were also mostly affected by the power shut off, including its neighboring towns and the coastal towns of Siruma and Tinambac in Camarines Sur.

Director Emmanuel Rojo, CASURECO II Public Information Officer who sought for the consumers' understanding and patience, assured them that there will be no more power shedding starting this Monday after they hired the help of special engineers from GENCO to rewind the 20-MVA power transformer.

“The cooperative's technical team worked 24 hours last week to ensure that power is resumed at the soonest possible time. We troubleshoot some lines and we are hopeful that the newly installed 20-MVA transformer will not give us and our consumers nights of darkness in the upcoming days,” Rojo said in an interview.

Camarines Sur power consumers have been experiencing intermittent power interruption for more than two months now after the 15-year old feeder station broke down and required major repair. The cooperative spent more or less P7.2 million when the said transformer broke down sometime this February.

Immediate repairs were immediately employed; unfortunately, the damage required total overhauling of the equipment. (LSMacatangay-PIA Camarines Sur)

Fixed salary for bus drivers, conductors in Bicol starts this July 1

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, June 20 (PIA) -- Every bus driver and conductor presently employed as permanent, contractual, reliever or those that are paid in a per-trip basis and boundary system will be receiving fixed salaries and wages starting July 1, this year, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional office here.

DOLE 5 regional director Nathaniel Lacambra said the agency will start requiring and monitoring bus companies in Bicol to comply with Department Order (DO) No. 118-12 that provides fixed salaries and wages for drivers and conductors.

Lacambra said DO 118-12, which was issued on January 13 provides for the payment of daily salaries and wages including proper time of work for drivers and conductors of public utility buses.

DOLE 5, along with the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB), is now providing free seminars to bus operators, drivers, and conductors who need assistance in computing their would-be salaries and fringe benefits in line with the order.

The seminars, according to Lacambra, are meant to avoid confusion when it is already implemented.

Those previously paid on a per-trip basis and boundary system will now be covered by this rule.

Under the order, these workers are entitled to wages for all actual work during the normal work hours and days not lower than the applicable minimum wage rates. Wages shall be paid at least once every two weeks or twice a month at intervals not exceeding 16 days.

Minimum wage for non-agricultural workers in Bicol to where bus drivers and conductors are employed is set at P252 daily.

They should be paid a holiday pay of 100 percent of the minimum wage even without reporting to work and 200 percent when required to work on a holiday.

They are also entitled to a rest day of 24 consecutive hours for every six consecutive working days. If they are required to work on a rest day, an additional premium pay of 30 percent of minimum basic wage should be paid to them.

Overtime pay equivalent to at least 25 percent of the basic wage on ordinary days and 30 percent on regular holidays, special days and rest days for work beyond eight hours per day would also apply.

An additional 10 percent of the daily basic wage is required for night shifts, if work is between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the following day. Incentive leave of five days per year of service should also be observed.

They should be paid 13th month pay pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 851, as amended, which entitles the employee to receive an amount equivalent to 1/12 of the total basic salary earned within the calendar year, not later than December 24 of each year.

Other incentives for a regular employee such as maternity leave for both male and female, parental leave for solo parents and the retirement pay upon reaching the age of 60 or more are also applicable.

The implementation of DO 118-12, Lacambra said is expected to help reduce road accidents involving passenger buses due to reckless driving, over speeding, and road racing while competing for passengers for more earning.

This new wage rule would serve as the key to careful driving as drivers are assured of substantial earnings either by way of fixed daily wage rate or performance-based determined through the total earning of the bus, safety performance and other indicators, he said. (MAL/DOC-PIA 5, Albay)