Luigi: "Energize wage boards"

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Sixth District Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing has called on the strengthening of regional wage boards rather than going to Congress for legislated increase in the salaries of private employees.

In yesterday’s 888 News Forum at Marco Polo Plaza, Quisumbing expressed that they in the House of Representatives understand the spirit behind the filing of a bill for the P125-across the board wage increase, taking into account the present economic realities.

However, he said that the condition in Manila is different in Cebu and in other parts of the Mindanao like in Basilan.

Quisumbing said that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Visayas where Cebu belongs is “very active and very responsive” to the needs of the employees.

“We hope and we call for the wage board in other parts of the country to be as equally as active as our regional wage board here in Region 7,” he said.

By doing that, Quisumbing said, the regional wage board will continue to be sensitive to the economic condition and the hardship of each individual and to come to a compromise in each of the regions that is beneficial to both employee and employer.

Cebu, with its dynamic economy, is doing much better than other provinces and it should continue to be a leader in labor relations, said Quisumbing.

“We feel that if we have a strong regional wage board, that will be the key to making sure that both sectors, both sides will be satisfied, that will lead to more economic progress, that will lead to better products from Cebu and that will continue to raise our stock worldwide as a province,” Quisumbing said.

Rep. Mark Sambar of Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Partylist who was also in the same forum agreed to the statement of Quisumbing.

“I think if we really want to increase the wages across the board for the whole Philippines, it has to be deeply studied because the cost of living in Manila alone is totally different from the cost of living in the other provinces here in the Philippines,” Sambar said.

Despite the pending bill on the P125-across the board legislated wage increase, the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines also filed the P90-across the board wage hike before the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC).

Ferdinand Jumapao of ALU-TUCP said that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) even confirmed that at least two supervening conditions are already present with the current increase in oil prices, basic commodities, fare, and inflation rate.

Jumapao stressed they still believe in the RTWPBs.

Quisumbing pointed out the beauty about the regional wage board is that the conditions on the ground are taken into consideration.

“Perhaps the solution is to find a way to energize, the best practices here in Region 7 can be followed, can be implemented in other regions across the country,” Quisumbing added. — Gregg M. Rubio/JPM (THE FREEMAN)