Central Visayas workers to get pay hike

MANILA, Philippines - Workers in the Central Visayas will get a P13 increase in their daily take-home pay, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported yesterday.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the regional wage board in Cebu approved an order granting pay hike to local workers.

“Once the wage order approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) takes effect, the current P340 daily minimum wage will become P353,” Baldoz said.

The wage order, she said, covers minimum wage earners in Metro Cebu, including the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Talisay, Naga, Carcar and Danao as well as the cities and municipalities of Compostela, Consolacion, Liloan, Cordova, Minglanilla and San Fernando.

The pay hike does not apply to other areas of Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor.

Baldoz said the wage hike would help improve the workers’ purchasing power.

Earlier, the Alliance of Progressive Labor and Associated Labor Union filed separate petitions seeking a P145 and P92 across-the-board wage increase, respectively.

The wage hike was approved following a series of public hearing conducted by the RTWPB.