Labor groups want salary hike, to appeal P13 COLA

CEBU, Philippines - Petitioners have decided to ask the National Wage and Productivity Commission (NWPC) for reconsideration on the P13 daily cost of living allowance (COLA) the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB)-7 gave instead of a wage increase.

Jose Tomongha, Alliance of  Progressive Labor-Visayas chairman, said that this was the decision reached during their meeting last Thursday with the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), Partido ng Manggagawa and other independent unions and organizations under the Living Wage Coalition.

“Kay ang gihatag sa RTWPB-7 kay COLA man unya ang among gipangayo base sa among petisyon kay (Because what the RTWPB-7 gave was for COLA while what we asked was for) wage increase man,” said Tomongha, who represents the labor sector in the wage board.

Chona Montinola, RTWPB-7 head and Department of Labor and Employment-7 director, on the other hand, said the P13 daily COLA increase is not yet implemented as they are still waiting for NWPC approval.

She said that once they get NWPC’s approval, they would have it published in a newspaper.  The increase would take effect 15 days after publication.  Tomongha said they expect NWPC any day next week.

“Once i-implement na ang maong COLA, immediately thereafter, we will file the appeal,” he said.

Last Feb. 14, RTWPB-7 granted a P13 daily COLA increase for workers in Central Visayas receiving minimum wage, in lieu of a wage hike.

The Living Wage Coalition had wanted a P132-daily-wage increase for all workers in Central Visayas, while ALU-TUCP wanted P90.

“Ang among gipangayo (What we asked was an) increase gyud sa (in the) basic pay sa mga (of) workers, di (not in the) allowance. That’s why nga mopasaka gyud mi og (we would really file an) appeal kay wa mi nakauyon ani (because we don’t like what was given),” Tomongha said.

If the NWPC would deny the labor groups’ appeal, they would refile their wage increase petitions.

They had argued that their earlier petitions were meant for workers to cope with increases in the prices of prime and basic commodities as well as the increasing cost of education, transportation, and power rates, among others.

Majority of the business sectors in the wage board, however, opposed any wage adjustments and even asked for a moratorium because of the two big calamities that severely affected the region during the last quarter of last year. — /RHM (FREEMAN)