Sarah Geronimo and her mom Divine. Image: Facebook/Sarah Geronimo
The mother of Pop Star Royalty Sarah Geronimo is embroiled in a labor complaint stemming from her alleged failure to provide statutory benefits and in withholding paychecks of her employees.
The allegation was based on complaints that reached showbiz talk show host and talent manager Ogie Diaz and his co-host Mama Loi Villarama, who disclosed the issue through a vlog on his YouTube channel on Saturday, Dec, 17.
According to Diaz, an unnamed individual employed by Mommy Divine Geronimo, mother of the singer-actress, in one of her businesses sent messages to Mama Loi ascribing several labor law violations, screenshots of which were showed on the vlog.
The employee alleged that Divine does not provide her workers with overtime pay, double pay as well as government-mandated benefits; does not allow her employees to have rest days; delays the distribution of salaries; and holds employees’ salaries and personal belongings even when they are no longer under Divine’s employment.
Image: screengrab from YouTube/Ogie Diaz Showbiz Updates
Image: screengrab from YouTube/Ogie Diaz Showbiz Updates
Image: screengrab from YouTube/Ogie Diaz Showbiz Updates
Diaz also read a statement from another employee who claimed that Divine told them to set an appointment first before they can get hold of their belongings and salaries, which was way beyond the scheduled release every 15th of the month.
“Ang nire-reklamo nga raw po ay ang mommy ni Sarah Geronimo na si mommy Divine,” Diaz said. “Meron pa silang chat na ini-screenshot nitong tauhan para patunayan sa amin na talagang meron silang conversation [ni mommy Divine].”
(The one the employees were complaining about was the mother of Sarah Geronimo, mommy Divine. [Divine] also had a conversation with one of the employees complaining, which they took a screenshot of and sent to us as proof.)
“Actually, hindi ko lang ito first time narinig kasi merong dati pa na hindi ko lang pinansin,” Diaz admitted. “Meron ding nagre-reklamo kay mommy Divine [pero] nung una nagduda kami… binigay namin ‘yung benefit of the doubt kay mommy Divine kasi baka naman din masyado siyang hinuhusgahan.”
(Actually, this is not the first time I heard [a complaint about Divine]. I also encountered some back then, I just did not give much attention to it. There was someone complaining about mommy Divine but we doubted it. We gave mommy Divine the benefit of the doubt because other people might be misjudging her.)
Diaz then advised Divine to immediately settle the matters with her employees before it escalate into legal dispute. Divine has yet to comment on these allegations, as of writing.
The labor matter is but one on the plate of the controversial mother of the pop star.
Earlier, Sarah addressed her parents through an open letter in October, with the singer extending her apologies for recent “life decisions” that affected their relationship. Sarah also recently spoke about her wish to be with her loved ones on Christmas. EDV