“Oh, so many flies. Why are there so many? Oh, there’s a cockroach over there. It’s open.”
“Why are you all hiding? It’s already 2:00 a.m.—how pitiful.”

After we conducted random inspections at some factories and construction sites, we posted the findings on our social media. That post garnered a flood of reactions.

Many workers have been complaining that they’re being abused by their employers—that they’re not receiving proper wages and benefits. So we’ll continue doing these random inspections, now based on the feedback we’ve received.

Let’s go, boss. We’re doing this for the workers—some of them have filed complaints. I want to check if their complaints are valid. They said the wages are too low, benefits are lacking, and they feel exploited.

Boss, how much are you paid?
—”Through an agency. It’s okay. All good.”
—”Then you’re exempted. But those inside? Their salaries are so low.”

Let’s check the Pacquiao section.
“Hello ma’am, I’m here with the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry). We’re conducting an inspection.”

“How are you doing here?”
—”We’re okay.”
—”The place is cool. Comfortable. There’s proper ventilation.”

“What are you making here?”
—”Octopus.”
—”How long have you been here?”
—”7 years. 13 years. 11 years.”

There’s no current law that prohibits long-term employment with just minimum wage. But I plan to create a law that mandates salary increments for long-time employees. It’s unfair that someone has been here 13 years and still gets minimum wage.

If the company progresses, so should the employees.

“Is the owner Chinese?”
—”Taiwanese.”
—”Oh, and heavy into casinos too. But they skimp on their workers’ pay. You should talk to the management. Let’s do a proper dialogue with DOLE.”

Let’s now check the “kikyam” section.
—”What’s this?”
—”Octopus again.”
—”What do you do with the octopus?”
—”We cut it. It’s export-quality.”
—”The products are export-grade, but the salaries are not.”

“Sir, it’s already closed.”
—”They probably left for the day. Why is it dark here?”
—”Production’s over.”

“What time is it?”
—”It’s already 3:00 a.m. But didn’t they say the shift is until 5:00?”
Let’s go inside even if there are no workers. I just want to see if the place is hot, leaking, or what.

“Why are you hiding?”
—”Sir, how long have you been here?”
—”It’s my third time. I just started—four days now.”
—”You? Five days. Let’s find someone who’s been here longer.”

“Boss, how long have you been working here?”
—”Since August 20, 2013.”
—”What’s your wage?”
—”₱7, slightly below the minimum by ₱2. Been here 12 years.”

“What is this you’re making?”
—”Drinking water for the kick.”
—”And you?”
—”Nine years already. Still on minimum wage.”

“What is this—squid balls?”
—”Yes. Here’s the handwashing station. You wash your hands, then boil and mold the squid balls.”

“Are the machines well-maintained? They might malfunction and injure someone.”
—”Yes, sir. They maintain them. After the squid drops, it goes through here, then gets cleaned and sent inside.”

“What’s this?”
—”That’s already broken.”
“Where’s the kikyam station?”
—”Here. It’s my favorite!”

“How is it made?”
—”We shape it like this. It’s hot, right?”
—”How long have you been here?”
—”16 years.”
—”Still minimum wage, right?”
—”Yes.”

“Do you get sick leave (SIL)? That’s required by law—5 days if you’ve been working over a year.”
—”No, sir.”
If employees don’t take leave, they can convert it to cash. It’s called “convertible to cash,” but you have to apply for it.

“What’s this?”
—”That’s giant squid. Flies everywhere. And roaches!”
Has anyone lost a finger here?
—”No, not yet. But the flies are everywhere.”

“This machine isn’t even running.”
—”It only runs occasionally.”
“So much dirt and small roaches at the sides. And cobwebs too. Clean this up!”
—”Yes, sir.”

“This is my favorite snack—kikyam.” Let’s go in. So many flies in here, boss. Do something about that.

“Manager, my staff said you’re open until 9:00 p.m.”
—”Sorry sir, earlier when I went down with you, I thought the workers had gone home. Sometimes that happens.”

“Where are your Pacquiao workers (nickname for overworked employees)?”
Let’s check on them.

“How many hours do you work per day?”
—”Sometimes 8, sometimes 10. Some do 12 hours.”
For 12 hours, do you get minimum wage?
—”Sometimes we reach ₱1,000 a day.”
But others say even after 10 hours, they still get minimum wage.

“When do you start?”
—”8:00 a.m. Sometimes we end at 2:00 a.m. That’s 18 hours.”

For 18 hours of labor, they get only ₱1,000? That’s not fair. That’s underpaid.
“Ma’am, your Pacquiao workers are being exploited.”
If they work 12 to 16 hours, they should be earning at least ₱3,000. It’s unfair. They work up to 2:00 a.m. sometimes.

“But the decision isn’t mine—it’s up to upper management.”
Then relay it to them.

“Can I ask about DOLE?”
—”Yes?”
“Are the extra 20 minutes paid?”
—”No.”

That’s the issue. By law, the extra 20 minutes (usually for cleaning) must be paid. It shouldn’t be considered “break time.” That’s a violation. Everyone must have at least 5 paid sick leave days. They don’t have that here.

So now, DOLE will return, open the records, and calculate back pay for:

Unpaid 20-minute cleaning time

Sick leave conversion

They’ll get retroactive payment. Everyone.

“Also, if you work over 5 hours, you need a 1-hour break.”
But sometimes they only pay 4 hours instead of 5, saying the 1 hour was a break. That’s shortchanging them. Break time and working hours should be separate.