Visayas, Mindanao workers may get pay hike

MANILA, Philippines — Workers in the Visayas and Mindanao are likely to receive salary increases sooner than their colleagues in other regions.

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) in Western, Central and Eastern Visayas as well as in Davao region are expected to issue wage orders soon, the Associated Labor Unions (ALU) said over the weekend.

“Wage boards in Regions 6, 7, 8 and 11 are deliberating and ready to issue new wage orders,” ALU spokesman Alan Tanjusay said.

He said it has been a year since the issuance of the existing wage orders in the four regions and the RTWPBs are no longer barred from issuing new pay hikes.

The Department of Labor and Employment earlier ordered all RTWPBs to assess the economic situation in their respective jurisdictions and determine if there is a need to grant salary increases.

The Wage Rationalization Law allows wage boards to adjust the salary rates if there are supervening conditions affecting the capacity of workers to cope with inflation, even if it falls within the 12-month prohibited period from the last issued wage order.

The National Wages and Productivity Commission said wage orders issued in six regions – Western, Central and Eastern Visayas as well as Central Luzon, Zamboanga peninsula and Davao region – have reached one year.

Wage orders in other regions have yet to reach one year.

Tanjusay expressed hope the wage boards would declare a supervening condition.

“They should hasten the process because we are in an emergency situation,” he said.

He urged the boards to provide substantial pay hikes to ease the burden of the workers.