Labor group files for P120 wage hike

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Labor Coalition headed by the Alliance of Progressive Labor yesterday filed for a P120.40 wage adjustment petition before the Department of Labor and Employment regional office to increase the current minimum wage in the region. 

APL chairman Jose Tomongha told The FREEMAN that their wage adjustment petition is their way of helping minimum wage earners get fair compensation for their work.

Tomongha claims that the current minimum wage in the province is not enough to support the current needs of common laborers especially amidst the drastic economic instability locally and globally.

According to their calculations based on the Consumer Price Index which examines the weighted average of prices, inflation rate, and purchasing power of consumers, a common laborer only receives P16.24 per day.

“Mahulog nalang nga P16.24 ang ilang real wage per minimum wage, kuwang ra kaayo,” Tomongha said.

Other factors that forced them to file the adjustment petition include the recent sudden surges in the price of oil and basic daily commodities.

Tomongha said that they are very pessimistic regarding DOLE-7’s response through the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board on their petition, adding that it might simply fall again on deaf ears.

Based on previous outcomes, Tomongha believes that the probability of their petition being approved is very low simply because of alleged biased representations and alleged employer-government alliances during committee hearings at the RTWPB.

However, he also urged laborers to support their petition for the wage adjustment which will positively improve their daily lives if granted.

If their petition will not be approved, Tomongha believes that this will greatly affect the local economy, adding that if laborers, who are also the consumers, fail to have enough money for their consumption then the producers and distributors will also suffer.

Meanwhile, as of yesterday afternoon, DOLE-7 Regional Director Elias Cayanong said that he has not received a copy of the petition filed by the APL, however, he assure APL that his office will look into their request. Cayanong also said that APL’s petition will be carefully evaluated by the RTWPB which he also heads.

He said that DOLE-7 is open to any petition filed by any group, but he also promised that all petitions will undergo a rigorous process to ensure its necessity. 

In 2009, APL also asked a P128.60 across-the-board wage increase for Central Visayas while the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines asked for a P100 increase.

DOLE granted their request with a P18 increase per day for minimum wage earners which took effect on September of 2010 within the entire region. — /BRP (FREEMAN NEWS)