Wage board grants pay hike for Region 6

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The daily minimum wage rates in Western Visayas will be increased by P13.50 and P41.50 for all types of workers.

The decision was made by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) during its meeting yesterday in Bacolod City that was presided over by DOLE-6 Regional Director Johnson Cañete.

While the new wage order will not establish a sufficient economic conditions for the needs of all the workers in Western Visayas, RTWPB labor representative Wennie Sancho said the labor sector agreed with the collective decision of the board “as we are aware that this is the best we could do, under the present circumstances.”

At least, the increase in salaries will give “immediate relief” to the worsening economic conditions  brought about by the tax reform for acceleration and inclusion (TRAIN) law implementation this year," Sancho added.

Minimum wages in the non-agricultural, commercial, and industrial business establishments employing more than 10 workers will increase from P323.50 to P365 this year, an additional of P26.50 to the basic pay plus P15 cost of living allowance (COLA), Cañete said.

For non-agricultural, commercial, and industrial business establishments employing less than 10 workers, an additional P18.50 plus P5 COLA will be implemented to their minimum wage, raising the employees’ salaries from the current P271.50 to P295, he added.

Cañete further disclosed that the new wage order unified the plantation and non-plantation subcategories for agricultural sector, which means that the plantation workers’ previous wages will increase by P13.50 (from P281.50), and non-plantation workers by P23.50 (from P271.50).

The new wage order was made after the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Workers Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (PACIWU-TUCP) presented a petition January this year for a P130 to P150 daily wage increase.

The above poverty threshold measured by the National Economic and Development Authority is P289 per day, to meet the basic food and non-food requirements.

Cañete said he hopes that the wage hike will also lighten the burden of the minimum wage earners in the region as the people felt the increase of prices of goods, adding that various government agencies have already expressed that TRAIN should not be blamed of these issues.

Apart from lightening the burden, Cañete expects this wage hike will also boost productivity.