Eastern Visayas workers to get wage hike

MANILA, Philippines — The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) has affirmed the grant of a salary increase for minimum wage earners in Eastern Visayas.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced yesterday that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Eastern Visayas approved an increase of P50 in the daily take-home pay of workers in private establishments.

The pay hike in Eastern Visayas will be implemented in two tranches – P25 upon effectivity of the wage order and another P25 on Jan. 2, 2023.

The minimum salary of workers in non-agriculture sectors and retail and service establishments with 11 or more employees will increase to P375 per day with the full implementation of the wage order.

Workers in the agriculture sector, cottage and handicraft as well as retail and service establishments with 10 workers or less will receive a daily wage of P345.

Meanwhile, the minimum monthly salary of domestic workers in Eastern Visayas will increase to P5,000 in chartered cities and first-class municipalities and P4,500 in other areas after the wage board approved an increase of P500.

“Around 82,712 workers in private establishments and 57,081 kasambahays  are expected to benefit from the wage increases in Eastern Visayas,” Bello said.

He said the NWPC also affirmed a wage order granting an increase of P500 to P1,000 in the minimum monthly salary of domestic workers in Caraga.

Around 32,867 domestic workers in the region are seen to benefit from the pay hike.

The wage orders will take effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the region.

Bello said the salary increase for minimum wage earners in Caraga took effect on June 6.

The labor department had earlier said the RTWPBs in 14 other regions had approved salary increases, which minimum wage earners will receive before the end of this month.