ILOILO City – Two labor groups are pushing for a P100 increase in the daily minimum wage for private workers in Western Visayas.
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 6 director Atty. Sixto Rodriguez Jr. confirmed to Panay News that his office received petitions from Iloilo City-based groups United Labor-Western Visayas in February and Iloilo Pepsi Cola Workers Independent Union in March.
Rodriguez said the proposed wage hike is across-the-board for all private employees, without distinction or classification.
The current P450 minimum daily wage in the region, according to the two labor groups, is no longer enough to purchase basic needs due to rising inflation.
“Hindi na raw kasya ‘yong ating minimum wage sa inflation rate at marami pa na dahilan kaya sila ay dumulog at nag-file ng petition for wage increase,” said Rodriguez, concurrent chairperson of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) Region 6.
Course of petitions
According to Rodriguez, the RTWPB gave the petitions due course by summoning them to appear in office.
“What we have done is given due course to the two petitions by calling the parties or the petitioners to appear before us to verify their legal personality,””he said.
Representatives of the United Labor-Western Visayas first appeared at the RTWPB office on April 25, while the board is still waiting for a response from the Iloilo Pepsi Cola Workers Independent Union.
The United Labor-Western Visayas was given 10 days, beginning April 25, to prove the legitimacy or legality of its identity.
This means the group has to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and DOLE as a labor organization or union.
“If they are a labor organization, this organization must be legitimate, meaning they must be duly registered with the DOLE so that they have legal personality to file a petition for a wage increase,” explained Rodriguez.
After proving their legitimacy, the RTWPB will consolidate the petitions and conduct a public hearing.
Chances of an approved petition
According to Rodriguez, the petitions’ approval is upon all the members of the RTWPB-6, which is composed of DOLE, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), two representatives from the employers, and two representatives from the employees.
“As to the approval of these petitions, I cannot say at this point whether we will approve or not,” said Rodriguez.
RTWPB-6 will look into whether there is legal basis to grant the petition, particularly if there is a supervening event that can justify the petition.
To recall, Wage Order No. RBVI-26, which took effect on June 5, 2022, increased the minimum daily wage in the region to P55, or from P395 to P450.
For non-agricultural/industrial/commercial sectors employing 10 workers or less, the P310 minimum daily wage increased to P420.
For the agricultural sector, the minimum wage of P315 became P410./PN
