MANILA, Philippines — Workers may refuse to report for or continue working when weather disturbances and similar events pose an imminent danger to their safety and health, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Thursday.
Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino said that workers who refuse work because of such imminent danger will not face administrative sanctions under the department’s updated guidelines on the suspension of work in the private sector.
Tolentino signed Labor Advisory No. 14, Series of 2026, on Aug. 19, updating the rules on work suspension during weather disturbances and similar occurrences.
Under the advisory, employers may suspend work in coordination with their safety and health committees, safety officers or other responsible company officials when conditions threaten workers’ safety.
Employees who do not report for work because of a suspension, however, will generally not be entitled to regular pay unless provided for by company policy, established practice or a collective bargaining agreement. They may also use accrued leave credits if allowed by their employers.
Those who report for work and render at least six hours are entitled to their full regular pay, while those who work for less than six hours should receive proportionate pay.
The announcement came as Tolentino separately called on the National Wages and Productivity Commission and regional wage boards to make wage policies more responsive to changing economic conditions and workers’ needs.
Speaking at the NWPC-RTWPBs Mid-Year Planning and Assessment in Pasay City on Thursday, Tolentino urged regular midyear assessments of wages and prices instead of waiting for petitions or severe economic conditions before reviewing wage rates.
He also called for a system that would allow regional wage boards to initiate wage reviews when extraordinary economic conditions warrant them.
On the ongoing injunction involving the Metro Manila minimum wage increase, Tolentino said the government must respect the court order while finding lawful ways to respond to changing conditions.
The labor chief said that wage-setting should remain transparent, evidence-based and humane while balancing the interests of workers and employers.
