Caraga workers get P11 wage hike

BUTUAN CITY — After holding four public consultations in the cities of Surigao, Bislig, Butuan and San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, the regional tripartite wages and productivity board approved yesterday an P11 daily wage hike for the Caraga region’s nearly 300,000 workers.

Chona Mantilla, the wage board’s chairwoman and officer-in-charge of the Department of Labor and Employment’s regional office, said the P11 increase brings the daily minimum wage in the Caraga region to P190 from P179.

Brielgo Pagaran, the wage board’s vice chairman and regional director of the Department of Trade and Industry, said the increase will take effect 15 days after the new wage order is published.

The region’s labor sector had demanded for a daily wage increase of at least P115, while the business sector, especially those in the wood industry, recommended P15.