Board OKs P30 pay hike in Eastern Visayas

MANILA, Philippines — The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) has approved a P30 increase in the daily minimum wage of workers in Eastern Visayas.

In Wage Order RB VIII-24, the RTWPB in Region 8 said the increase covers all sectors and brings the daily minimum wage rates to P435 upon full implementation on Dec. 2.

The Board also approved a P500-monthly increase for all kasambahay (domestic helpers) across all areas in the region, bringing the sector’s monthly minimum wage to a maximum of P6,000.

Both wage orders were affirmed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission on Nov. 13 and published last Friday.

The increases considered the needs of workers and their families, capacity of employers or industry to pay and the requirements of economic and social development in the region, as provided under Republic Act 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act.

According to the RTWPB, the new rates for private sector workers translate to a seven-percent increase from the prevailing daily minimum wage of P405 and result to a comparable 10-percent increase in wage-related benefits covering 13th-month pay, service incentive leave and social security benefits like the Social Security System, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG.

The new wage order would benefit 126,095 minimum wage earners and 57,080 domestic workers.

As in any wage order, retail and service establishments that emply less than 10 workers as well as the enterprises that were affected by natural calamities may apply for exemption from the wage increase.

The last wage orders for domestic and private sector workers in the region were both issued on Nov. 6, 2023 and became effective on Nov. 30, 2023.