Central Visayas workers to get P33 wage hike

MANILA, Philippines — The daily take-home pay of minimum wage earners in Central Visayas will increase starting next month.

The Central Visayas Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board issued an order granting an increase of P33, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced yesterday.

With the pay hike, the DOLE said the daily minimum wage of non-agricultural workers in the region would increase to P468.

The daily salary of agricultural workers and non-agriculture establishments with less than 10 employees will increase to P458.

The National Wages and Productivity Commission has affirmed the wage order, which shall take effect on Oct. 1.

The DOLE said the new rates translate to an increase of 7.6 to 8.6 percent in the prevailing daily minimum wage in the region.

The pay hike will also result in a 23-percent increase in wage-related benefits, including 13th-month pay, service incentive leave as well as Social Security System, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG.

Up to 346,946 minimum wage earners in Central Visayas will benefit from the pay hike.

At least 399,572 full-time wage and salary workers may indirectly benefit as a result of upward adjustments at the enterprise level arising from the correction of wage distortions.

The last salary increase for minimum wage earners in private companies in Central Visayas was implemented in June last year.

Last week, the regional wage board in Calabarzon approved an increase ranging from P35 to P50 for minimum wage earners in the region. The wage hike will take effect on Sept. 24.

In Metro Manila, an increase of P40 in the daily minimum wage took effect on July 16.