MANILA — Partido Lakas ng Masa presidential bet Leody de Guzman said on Wednesday that he has reservations with the 4-day workweek proposal by the government.

De Guzman said some companies have a "no work, no pay" policy, which may lead employers to deduct 1 day's wage each week from workers' paychecks.

The labor leader said the 4-day workweek proposal is acceptable only if it will not lead to any deduction in the salaries of workers.

"Okay lang 'yun, maganda yun kung walang bawas sa sweldo. Pero kung babawasan 'yung sweldo ng mga manggagawa ay malaking problema 'yan na 4 na araw na lang ang suswelduhin ng ating manggagawa sa panahong ito na matindi ang krisis.

(It's okay, it's good if there is no salary reduction. But if workers' salaries will be reduced it's a big problem that workers will only be paid for 4 days [a week] during a period of severe crisis.)

De Guzman said that if the proposed 4-day workweek will lead to reduced pay, then it will only make things worse for workers.

Philippine economic managers have proposed a 4-day workweek and an extension of remote work setups, in a bid to cushion the impact of soaring pump prices on the commuting public.

• Officials seek 4-day workweek, extended WFH as fuel prices soar

De Guzman meanwhile reiterated his call for a 6-hour workday for employees, which he said will lead employers to hire more workers, and thus raise the employment rate.

"Ang aking panukala para sa shortened workweek, na maaring 6-hour working day, nang walang kabawasan sa sweldo, ay naglalayong magdagdag na isang shift para sa karagdagang empleyo habang binabawasan ang physical depreciation ng katawan ng manggagawang nalalaspag sa pag-oobertaym at pagtarabaho," he said.

(My proposal for a shortened workweek, which could be a 6-hour working day, with no pay cut, aims to add another shift for additional employment while reducing the physical depreciation of workers' tired from overtime and working.)

• Ka Leody bats for 6-hour workday in PH

De Guzman has promised to end contractualization, raise the minimum wage of workers across the board to P750 per day, and remove the wage discrepancy between provincial and NCR workers.

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