MANILA - The 13th month pay is mandatory by law, the labor department said Tuesday ahead of its deliberations on allowing its deferment.

The agency will hold a virtual conference later Tuesday to decide on the policy, said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello.

"Maliwanag yung batas. Kailangan bayaran on or before Dec. 24. 'Yan ang pag-usapan pa natin, ano ba ibig sabihin ng distressed, sino ba ang distressed," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(The law is clear. It should be given on or before Dec. 24. That's what we'll talk about later, what distressed means and who are distressed.)

"Kausap ko rin si (Trade) Secretary (Ramon) Lopez, kung di man ma-exempt sabi niya baka pwedeng i-defer na lang. Maraming possibilities."

(I also spoke with Secretary Lopez, he said if we could not exempt businesses maybe we could defer payment. There are many possibilities.)

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