Metro wage board eyes allowance

The regional wage board in Metro Manila plans to provide additional allowance to workers in the metropolis instead of the much-awaited increase in their daily basic salary.

Labor Undersecretary Romeo Lagman said the regional wage board in Metro Manila is considering an alternative option than granting an increase in the prevailing minimum wage rate.

“The members of the regional wage board in the metropolis met for some kind of a deliberation that focused on alternative option and one of this is granting or integration of the emergency cost of living allowance (ECOLA),” Lagman said.

Lagman explained that the different wage boards are authorized to grant either increase in basic pay or additional cost of living allowance (COLA) after appropriate review of economic indicators.

The current daily minimum wage pay for Metro Manila workers is pegged at P350, including the P50 ECOLA granted by the board a few years ago.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) is seeking a P75 increase in daily basic pay of workers in Metro Manila but employers are strongly opposing any salary hike.

Wage board officials said they are trying to work out an agreement between the employers and workers.  – Mayen Jaymalin