ILOILO City — The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) has denied a petition seeking a P250 daily wage increase for private sector workers in Western Visayas, ruling that the labor alliance that filed the petition lacked legal personality and was not registered with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
DOLE Region 6 director and RTWPB chairperson Atty. Sixto Rodriguez Jr. confirmed Friday that the wage board recently issued Board Resolution No. 2, Series of 2026, rejecting the petition filed by United Labor Alliance-Western Visayas.
The alliance was not duly registered with DOLE, making it legally incapable of filing a wage petition, Rodriguez told Panay News.
“It lacks legal personality kasi,” he stressed.
The wage board also noted deficiencies in the petition’s signatories.
“While they represent as part of the United Labor Western Visayas Alliance, they should have mentioned there their individual labor organization which they represent. So, walang ganun na ginawa,” Rodriguez added.
According to Rodriguez, the wage board had earlier notified the alliance to comply with documentary requirements proving its legal personality, including submission of registration certificates and supporting documents.
Instead, the group submitted a letter questioning why registration requirements were suddenly being imposed despite having filed petitions in previous years without issue.
Rodriguez explained that in previous years, the alliance filed its petitions during the regular wage review period, allowing the wage board to conduct motu proprio wage reviews as directed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC).
This year, however, the petition was filed ahead of the official wage review cycle, which starts in September, prompting the board to strictly apply procedural requirements.
He clarified that the wage board’s denial does not prevent the alliance from filing another wage increase petition, provided it is filed through a DOLE-registered labor organization.
United Labor Alliance-Western Visayas spokesperson Elmer Forro criticized the decision, saying the alliance had already filed wage petitions for four consecutive years and was only questioned about its registration this year.
“Masubo gani. May daw ikaapat na namon ‘ni nga filing, ang tatlo ka filing namon gin-recognize nila. Sa ika-apat bag-o lang naglusot ina nga issue. Secondly, ang mga members sang United Labor, sang Alliance mga registered unions. So, indi na necessary. Sa tantiya naton ginapabudlayan lang gid kita sang regional wage board para idimot ang panawagan kag ginahangyu sang mamumugon nga magpasaka sang sweldo,” Forro said.
Forro maintained that workers urgently need higher wages due to inflation and the declining purchasing power of the peso.
“Ang purchasing power sang P1 nagalab-ot na lang sa 73 centavos. Buot silingon, ang P550 nga sweldo naton kada adlaw nagalab-ot lang sa P403. Buot silingon may ara nga P147 nga nadula sa real value sang P550 nga minimum wage naton,” said Forro.
“Amo na ang basis naton for P250 wage hike kay ang P150 for wage recovery and ang P100 amo na ang emergency relief sa panahon sang crisis para sa mamumugon naton. So, ti amo pa ni ang sabat,” he added.
Following the denial, the alliance said it plans to stage a protest next week and may instead have its member unions individually file a new wage petition through their respective DOLE-registered labor groups.
The last minimum wage increase in Western Visayas took effect on Nov. 17, 2025 under Wage Order No. RBVI-28.
Under the wage order, the daily minimum wage rates were increased as follows:
For non-agriculture, industrial and commercial establishments:
* More than 10 workers — P513
* 10 workers or less — P485
For agriculture:
* From P440 to P480
Meanwhile, domestic workers in the region received an increase from P5,000 to P6,000 monthly under Wage Order No. RBVI-DW-06.
The next regular minimum wage review cycle in Western Visayas is scheduled to begin in September 2026./PN
