MANILA—Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III has filed a bill mandating private sector employers to grant workers a 14th month pay in addition to the existing 13th month pay.

Sotto said the measure aims to ease the burden of rising costs and help Filipino families cope with educational and household expenses.

“After almost five decades, the needs and cost of living of every Filipino worker have drastically changed, thus it is high time that employees in the private sector receive their 14th month pay,” he said.

Presidential Decree No. 851, issued in 1976, requires all employers to pay their employees a 13th month pay.

Under Sotto’s proposal, the 13th month pay should be released by June 14 to assist workers with their children’s educational expenses, while the 14th month pay should be distributed not later than December 24 to cover holiday and year-end costs.

“The bill has exemptions for qualified employers so as not to burden struggling businesses as they are equally important for our economy,” he added.

The proposed law covers all non-government rank-and-file employees, workers under the Kasambahay Law, and others already entitled to a 13th month pay, provided they have worked for at least one month during the calendar year.

Exempted from the measure are distressed companies, non-profit institutions experiencing major income declines, and employers already providing a 14th month pay or its equivalent.

Sotto said the bill seeks to provide additional support for employees without weighing down employers.