ILOILO – The daily minimum wage in Western Visayas will be reviewed, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as fuel prices continue to increase.
The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) will convene on March 21, according to Director Sixto Rodriguez Jr. of DOLE Region 6.
“There is a marching order from Secretary (Silvestre Bello III) for us all regional offices, all regional boards,” he revealed as fuel prices soared for the 11th time yesterday at around P12 more per liter for diesel and around P7 more for gasoline.
Should there be an increase in the daily minimum wage, this should have justification, explained Rodriguez.
“Wala pang plano as to how much,” he added.
The current daily minimum wages in the region are as follows:
* for non-agriculture / industrial / commercial – P395 in those employing more than 10 workers and P310 in those employing 10 workers and below
* for agriculture – P315
These rates took effect way back in Nov. 26, 2019.
There was no wage increase in 2020.
Rodriguez said there would be public consultations with employers and workers.
Last week of February a petition for a wage increase was submitted to DOLE Region 6. It was from the Fishta Union of Employees for Reforms through Solidarity Actions – Solidarity of Unions in the Philippines for Empowerment and Reforms (FUERSA-SUPER) based in Negros Occidental.
Rodriguez, however, did not disclose how much increase FUERSA-SUPER was asking.
“We still have to validate the legality of the petition as to the capacity of the petitioner. ‘Yan ba registered organization sa atin?” said Rodriguez.
In 2021 a petition for wage increase was filed, according to the DOLE-6 director but the public consultations did not yield positive results for a hike; the petition then was deemed untimely because the coronavirus disease 2019 was still raging and businesses and establishments were reeling from restrictions that limited or even temporarily halted their operations.
Rodriguez also confirmed that his office had received the “workers’ manifesto” submitted by the labor representative to the RTWPB, Winnie Sancho.
It was calling for a P95 to P100 increase in the daily minimum wage of workers in the region.
“But it was a mere manifesto. Under the law we can only review the wage if there is a petition for a wage increase, or through a motu proprio review,” said Rodriguez.
In Metro Manila, Labor secretary Bello said, “The skyrocketing prices of oil products caused by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine may be a compelling ground for the wage boards to recommend adjustments in the minimum wages of workers.”
“Setting and adjusting the wage level is one of the most challenging parts of minimum wage fixing. Minimum wage cannot be very low as it will have very small effect in protecting workers and their families against poverty. If set too high, it will have an adverse employment effect. There should be a balance between two sets of considerations,” the DOLE chief also explained./PN
