Cebu City— Regional Branch Director Edmundo T. Mirasol announced that the SEnA program has hastened the processing of the retirement pay of an oiler employed in a shipping company. “Due to Conciliator-Mediator Murro’s immediate response to the plight of the oiler, the Board has once again made an impact on the lives of Filipino workers in this time of pandemic”, Director Mirasol said as he commended Conciliator-Mediator Murro for the swift resolution of the request for assistance.

The oiler who has been employed with the company for 30 years has an approximate total receivables of P619,000.00, including his unused leave credits.

According to Conciliator-Mediator Paciano L. Murro Jr., the oiler filed the request for assistance under the SEnA framework last 16 March 2020, raising the issue of retirement pay.

Con-Med Murro revealed that the requesting party was forced to file the request because he felt that he was abandoned by the union as he could sense a lukewarm attitude from the union officials every time he discusses his early retirement plan.

In a letter to the management signifying the retirement, the oiler expressed his desire to continue working with the company who helped him a lot in both his personal and family upliftment.

“But as much as I wanted to stay, my age and physical condition led me to the decision to retire, to enjoy a stress free environment and be with my family”, quoting from the letter.

The request for assistance was settled in two conciliation conferences. “The requesting party has signified his intention to retire from his employment, and as such was the basis for the company to process his retirement benefits.”, Con-Med Murro said. The benefits are based on the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement that accordingly would entitle him to receive 100 percent, he added.

The oiler expressed his whole-hearted thanks and gratitude for the trust and confidence that the company had extended to him during the years of service.

The Single-Entry Approach (SEnA) program, a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation process, is a speedy, inexpensive and accessible mechanism to resolve disputes and conflicts.

//as edited in the report of RCMB VII