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Our Payroll Section consists of an Accounting Manager-Payroll and four (4) payroll accountants. They are responsible for processing of crew payroll for all overseas (monthly) and interisland vessels (semi-monthly), processing of remaining receivables of signed-off crew, filing of reports and claims with SSS, EC, & Pag-ibig, and filing of annual information report with BIR.
The section’s objective is to serve and provide accurate and timely home allotments and information to crew, allottees, and principals.
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The Payroll Group processes crew payrolls based on the crewlists submitted by Crewing Department and home allotment lists from the vessels. Processing starts on the 15th of each month. The group is fully relying on the validity of these approved documents.
Amendments such as cancellation or hold allotments, change in allottees, change in HA percentage, change in bank accounts and the like should be submitted to Payroll Section on or before the 20th of the month to be effected in the processing. All advices should come in written form and signed by an authorized signatory.
If the crew joins the vessel between 1 to 15 of the month, allotment shall be paid in Manila otherwise this shall be paid onboard.
A. ALLOTMENT
As per POEA Standard Terms and Conditions of Contract-Section 8 – Allotments and Remittances, each crew is required to send a minimum of eighty percent (80%) of the monthly basic salary.
Home allotments are credited on the last banking day of the month, if the 30th or 31st falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, crediting are done on the 29th of the particular month.
B. ALLOTTEES
Each crew is allowed to have two (2 ) allottees classified as primary & secondary. Primary allottee assumes all deductions including the employee’s monthly contributions to SSS, Pag-ibig, and Amosup.
C. PAYROLL EXCHANGE RATE
Exchange rate used in payroll processing is the average forward rate of counter-buying rates of Jebsen’s disbursing banks quoted on the 15th of the month.
After home allotments are served, the rate used is compared with the month-end actual counter-buying rate. The difference is added or deducted in the next month’s payroll rate.
D. CREW DEDUCTIONS
Crew deductions are classified into the following :
1. Mandatory :
SSS contributions:
Employee share maximum contribution P 400.00
Employer share maximum contribution 618.00
Total monthly contribution P 1,018.00
Medicare of Philhealth contributions :
Employee share maximum contribution P 93.75
Employer share maximum contribution 93.75
Total monthly contribution P 187.50
For TCC vessels, principal is contributing USD 9.86 multiplied by the payroll rate as Pag-ibig contribution for each crew per month.
The following are under TCC rates :
Telnes
Tertnes
Tinnes
Tornes
Trimnes
Trollnes
Trones
Samco
Samco Europe
2. Ad hoc :
POEA or OWWA fees
Personal communication costs
Cash advances, if any
Overpayment of home allotments
Training expenses
Medical expenses
Aifares
The above deductions are deductible in full from the first allotment. Outstanding accountabilities after finished contracts shall be deducted from their final wages.
E. PREFERRED BANKS
The following banks are preferred for their on-line crediting facilities, waiver of bank charges, & lower maintaining balance :
Equitable-PCIB
Union Bank of the Philippines (UBP )
Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)
Bank of the Philippine Islands ( BPI )
Security Bank Corporation
Crew and allottees are advised not to open accounts with :
Any LANDBANK OR DBP branches
RCBC Classic and Savings Bank
EPCIB EXPRESS PADALA
Accounts for CASH DEPOSIT ONLY
Crew and allottees are advised to maintain a minimum balance of PHP 100.00 in their bank accounts to avoid closure. The same reminder can be found in the lower hand right portion of the monthly payslips.
Once an account is closed, it will take at least seven (7) days to reprocess after receiving the newly opened bank account.
F. BANK CHARGES
1) Home allotment accounts :
USD accounts :
EPCIB / RCBC / SECURITY / UBP USD 5.00
BPI-Family / PNB / Citibank / UCPB USD 20.00
PHP accounts :
NO CHARGES
2) MPO or Special remittance :
USD accounts :
EPCIB / RCBC / SECURITY / UBP USD 5.00
BPI-Family / PNB / Citibank / UCPB USD 20.00
PHP accounts :
NO CHARGES
G. REQUIREMENTS FROM EACH CREW
Each crew is required to submit the following to validate the correctness of information given and for future reference :
Xerox copy of passbook or deposit slip with depositor’s complete name, bank, branch, and account number
Xerox copy of SSS and TIN IDs
H. CREW MONTHLY PAYSLIPS
1. Overseas vessels
Mailed on the 7th of the following to the addresses in personal information sheets
2. Interisland vessels
Claimed by Radio Officer or any representative from the vessel and distributed to the crew onboard.
I. W 2 or CERTIFICATE OF EARNINGS AND TAX WITHHELD FROM COMPENSATION
1. Overseas vessels
Effective February, 2000, W2 forms are mailed before the end of February to crew’s mailing addresses
2. Interisland vessels
a) crew presently onboard – received on the vessel
b) signed-off crew – mailed to mailing addresses
Reminders :
a) Income Tax Returns ( ITR) should be filed with Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) not later than April 15 of the following taxable year.
b) Change in exemption – fill-up BIR for 2305 or Certificate of Update of Exemption and of Employer’s and Employee’s Information
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Upon receipt of an advice from the master, a confirmation is made that payment will be arranged. If the master does not receive the confirmation within three (3) days, it means that no MPO was received at our end.
If the account is an EPCIB or UBP Metro Manila branch, processing takes three (3) days. To provincial branches other than EPCIB or UBP, it takes one (1) week.
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A. STANDBY PAY
Senior officers like master, chief officer, chief engineer and secon engineer are entitled to two (2) months standby pay when they are lined-up for next vessel assignment. Payment will be authorized by VP-Crewing.
In the case of Beltship vessels, senior officers are entitled to three (3) months while the junior officers and the ratings are entitled to one (1) month standby pay.
B. REIMBURSEMENT FOR AIRFARE, BOARDING HOUSE BY SENIOR OFFICERS LIVING IN THE PROVINCE
Senior officers who are required to attend seminar or training in Manila could reimburse airfare and boarding house rental. Request for reimbursement should be authorized by VP-Crewing.
C. SENIORITY BONUS
All crew under Philippine flag vessels managed by ABOJEB are entitled to seniority bonus. Advice for payment of seniority bonus should be approved by Crewing Manager.
D. SICK WAGES AND HOSPITAL BILLS FOR REPATRIATED CREW DUE TO SICKNESS
Hospital bills and requests to pay sick wages should be certified correct by Crewing Manager. Original copies of these bills are to be submitted to the officer-in-charge of insurance claims for reimbursement from P & I Club.
E. CREW REMAINING RECEIVABLES
These are the final wages, overtime, leave pay, performance bonus, travel expenses of sign-off crew in cases when the Master has no sufficient fund onboard or the port of disembarkation is not safe to carry big amounts of money. Request to pay should be approved by the Crewing Manager.
F. CREW CASH ADVANCES
Cash advance shall be given upon request of departing crew who has been with the company for one (1) full contract.
A departing crew shall be granted cash advance only when vessel assignment and departure date are definite. Funds will be released one (1) week before the scheduled departure date.
Cash advances to newly hired crew, especially to senior officers, shall be given on a case to case basis.
Cash advance shall be deducted from the first (1st) home allotment of crew onboard overseas vessels while those onboard with interisland vessels shall be deducted in six (6) equal monthly installments. With regard to BIR regulation 3-98 for fringe benefits, cash advances to master, chief engineers, chief officers and 2nd engineers are subject to a monthly 1% interest.
Limits on cash advance for departing crew for overseas vessels :
Master PHP 20,000.00
C/O & 2/E 15,000.00
C/E 20,000.00
2/O & 3/E 12,000.00
4/E, 3/O/high ranking hotel staff onboard cruise ships 10..000.00
Bosun, Fitter, & C/Ck 8,000.00
AB, Motorman, & 2/Ck 6,000.00
O/S, Wiper, & Messman 4,000.00
Crew departing for and onboard domestic vessels could request cash advance with a limit to one (1) month salary.
The procedure on cash advance are the following :
Fully accomplished standard form or written request with details as follows :
Reason of cash advance
Vessel assignement , estimated date of departure, & signed by Crewing Manager of Asst. Crewing Manager
Payee’s full bank style
Approved by AVP or VP-Crewing
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SSS premiums are remitted eclectronically to SSS thus contributions are posted within a week.
Philhealth or Medicare premiums are remitted monthly instead of the specified quarterly remittance for updated posting of contributions.
Premium certification can be requested and is available within the day unless there is an instruction to send it thru courier or post office.
The master or crew should notify the employer of any sickness or accident onboard within ten (10) days from the time this happened for faster and complete benefit claims.
Late filing to SSS & EC may reduce or deny claims.
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