Business sector opposes proposed salary increase

CEBU, Philippines - Various business chambers and associations in Central Visayas have opposed the move to increase the workers’ pay during a wage hike public hearing yesterday.

The Philippine Retailers Association Cebu Chapter, Inc., represented by its president, Robert Go, said it opposed the desired wage increase as it is ill-timed in the context of the declining economic growth in the region.

 “With the coming Asean Integration end of this year, surely it is ill-timed and uncalled for. The hurdle is yet to be tackled and with the increase in wages, business would be impossible to cope,” Go said.

Go said that all the manufacturers were once located in the Philippines but because wages keep on increasing every year, multinational manufacturers have opted to transfer to Thailand, Indonesia, China and Vietnam.

 The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and the Living Wage Coalition filed an increase of P145 and P92 daily wage, respectively, for all the workers in Central Visayas.

 They said that prices of basic commodities have been increasing as well as the Consumer Price Index.

Dennis Derige, spokesperson of PartidongManggagawa-Cebu, said it is high time for the business sector to give what is due to the workers.

The Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Panglao Island Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants, through their spokesperson Atty. Manolet Dinsay, also opposed another wage hike.

“An increase is too soon and would further worsen the situation of the struggling and recovering micro, small and medium enterprises in Bohol,” Dinsay said.

He added that the burden to increase employees’ net take home pay should not be a sole burden of the employer and should be shared by all those concerned including the workers and the State.

The Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu, through its vice president for hotels Carlo Anton Suarez, said there is no sufficient basis to increase the minimum wage in the region.

 The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry through Benjamin Avila, its vice president for external affairs and relations, also opposed the desired increase.

CCCI instead recommended that the petitioners and the business sector, together with the RTWPB, will discuss together areas that will stimulate the creation of more businesses so that business and labor market will become more productive and competitive in the light of the ASEAN integration and global economic challenges.

For the Siquijor Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., there should be a status quo on the basic wage rate.  (FREEMAN)