RTWPB to monitor wage hike compliance

CEBU, Philippines – Complaints regarding the approved wage hike in Metro Cebu will be monitored, a labor regional official said.

Exequiel Sarcauga, Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) chair in Central Visayas and Department of Labor and Employment regional director, said he had tasked personnel to look into wage-related complaints to know how many employers have not yet complied with the mandated salary increase.

For workers who have not received an increase yet, they should receive wages or "retroactive pay" due for past services at newly approved rates, Sarcauga told The FREEMAN in an interview.

It was on September 10 this year when RTWPB in Region 7 approved the P13-increase for minimum wage earners in Metro Cebu covering areas from Carcar City in south to Danao City in north, including Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova town.

The wage order took effect last October 10. The new minimum wage now is P353 from P340.

Wages for workers outside Metro Cebu and in Bohol and Siquijor, however, remain unchanged.

Since the order took effect, Sarcauga said that not one motion for reconsideration has been filed so far by the business sector.

"No adverse reaction (so far) from any sectors," the labor official said.

Sarcauga claimed that in wage adjustments, there are always two conflicting positions: workers, on one hand, saying that what they're earning is not enough and employers, on the other, insisting that they are just giving "too much".

Labor groups have been demanding for a big increase as inflation erodes the real value of the workers' salaries.

DOLE said the P13-hike was agreed upon by the wage board to recover the workers' purchasing power amid the price increases in basic goods.

Asked whether the wage hike was enough to combat inflation, Sarcauga plainly said it's not a question of enough or not, considering that there will always be conflicting positions between workers and employers.

He, however, added the wage board makes sure the level of wage it sets is best for everybody.

The DOLE official declined to say whether there will be possible another salary adjustment next year.

"We will cross the bridge when we get there. We might preempt. It should be the board that will decide," he said.

The RTWPB has the authority to issue wage order that should enable workers to cope with the rising cost of living without impairing the viability of business. (FREEMAN)