Three people were reported killed while four others were injured due to tropical storm Florita, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Thursday.
Meanwhile, another weather disturbance may develop and affect the country before the end of this month, a weather forecaster said.
In another development, the Department of Labor and Employment has released the rules on work suspension and payment of wages during weather disturbances.
In its 8 a.m. situational report on the storm’s effects, the NDRRMC said one fatality and one injured in the Bicol Region were still being verified.
The two confirmed deaths, on the other hand, were in Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) each.
Florita, which exited the Philippine area of responsibility on Wednesday morning, leaving 11,953 families or 47,169 persons in five regions economically dislocated.
The cyclone also left 10,355 persons displaced, most of them currently staying in 129 evacuation centers. A total of 1,013 persons from CAR were also pre-emptively evacuated.
Ten of the 15 ports closed earlier due to Florita have already resumed operations, the NDRRMC said.
“There is no low pressure area inside the Philippine area of responsibility but the eastern part of the country may experience rains due to cloud clusters, and we are not discounting the possibility of another tropical cyclone before the end of the month,” said Benison Estareja of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
He said the southwest monsoon (habagat) continues to weaken and is currently affecting the western section of northern and central Luzon.
For Thursday’s forecast, Estareja said generally sunny weather will prevail, especially in areas that experienced rains due to Florita.
Rain showers caused by localized thunderstorms will still be experienced, he added.
Warm and humid weather will prevail, but there are high chances of thunderstorms across Luzon.
This as moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough seas are forecast over the western section of Luzon.
Moderate to rough seas will be experienced over the northern and western seaboards of northern Luzon, and western seaboard of central Luzon (Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales and Bataan).
Fishing boats and other small sea vessels are alerted against moderate to rough seas, according to PAGASA.
Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate with slight to moderate seas.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said that employees who report for work during weather disturbances are entitled to full regular pay provided that they have worked for not less than six hours.
The directive was contained in Labor Advisory No. 17, Series of 2022 issued by Laguesma to guide private sector employers on the suspension of work and the appropriate payment of wages during inclement weather conditions and calamities.
Laguesma said that private sector employers have the prerogative to suspend work to ensure the safety and health of their employees.
“Except as provided for by law or appropriate proclamation, employers in the private sector may, in the exercise of management prerogative and in coordination with the safety and health committee, safety officer, or any other responsible company officer, suspend work to ensure the safety and health of their employees during weather disturbances and similar occurrences,” the labor chief said.
If the company needs to continue with its operations, employees who will report for work are entitled to full regular pay provided that they have rendered work for not less than six hours.
Those who will render work for less than six hours shall only be entitled to the proportionate amount of the regular pay, without prejudice to existing company policy or practice more beneficial to the employee.
Laguesma also enjoined employers to provide extra incentives or benefits to employees who will report for work despite weather disturbances and similar occurrences.
On the other hand, employees who fail or refuse to work because of imminent danger resulting from inclement weather conditions shall not be subject to any administrative sanction.
However, they are also not entitled to regular pay, except when there is a favorable company policy, practice, or collective bargaining agreement granting payment of wages on the said day.
Those with accrued leave credits, meanwhile, may be allowed to utilize such benefits so that they will be compensated on the said day.
