Wage hike not possible until May

CEBU, Philippines - Despite continuing oil price increases, workers may have to wait a little longer to get the much-needed increase in daily pay.

The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) yesterday reported that wage increase in Metro Manila and other regions nationwide may be probable, but not until May.

Ciriaco Lagunzad III, NWPC executive director, said unless there is a “supervening condition,” the 17 Tripartite Regional Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) are restricted from granting successive salary increases within a year.

“We have yet to receive any formal petition for wage increase, but the boards cannot entertain any wage petition within a year from the last issuance of wage order,” Lagunzad disclosed.

“The last wage orders in Metro Manila and Central Luzon were issued about nine months ago, so the issue of supervening conditions would have to be raised for the board to look into the new petition,” Lagunzad added.

NWPC deputy executive director Patricia Hornilla said a supervening condition is defined as abrupt and sustained increase in prices of petroleum products and other basic services.

Hornilla also stressed that the wage board needs to determine the existence of a supervening condition in a region under their jurisdiction and must be confirmed by the NWPC.

According to Hornilla, the different wage boards declared supervening conditions and granted salary increases within a year only in five instances since 1990.

“Supervening conditions were declared in 1990-1991 due to Gulf war, then in 2005, 2008 and 2011 and in all these, oil price was the triggering mechanism because other products increase their prices after the oil price hike,” Hornilla pointed out.

However, Lagunzad said, oil price is not the only factor being considered in granting a salary hike for minimum wage earners.  (FREEMAN)