ILOILO City – The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas is set to hold a series of consultations to assess the demand for a potential wage increase for private sector employees.
The consultations will be held on September 17 in Roxas City, Capiz, and September 23 in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, according to Atty. Sixto Rodriguez Jr., director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 6 and RTWPB chairperson.
Labor and management sectors are invited to these consultations to express their sentiments and positions on whether a new wage hike is necessary.
“Should there be a need or demand for another wage increase, we will then proceed to deliberate and conduct public hearings,” Rodriguez told Panay News.
This initiative follows President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive during his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) to review the prevailing wage orders across the country.
Rodriguez said that although no wage hike petition has currently been received from the labor sector, the RTWPB is acting on the President’s directive.
“Even without a formal petition, we are mandated to evaluate the need for wage adjustments. However, this does not guarantee an immediate wage increase as it will depend on the feedback from both the labor and management sectors,” Rodriguez clarified.
Moreover, a new wage order can only be implemented one year after the enactment of the previous order, which in Western Visayas’ case, is due to expire on November 16, 2024.
Currently, under the prevailing wage order number RBVI-27 issued last November 2023, the minimum daily wage rates in Western Visayas are P480 for non-agricultural sectors employing more than 10 workers, and P450 for those employing 10 or fewer.
For the agriculture sector, the minimum daily wage rate is P440.
Nationally, DOLE has been gearing up for regional consultations to adjust wage rates. Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma highlighted this week that regions outside Metro Manila might see changes in their minimum daily wages within the year following these consultations.
The National Capital Region recently saw a P35 increase, setting a precedent for potential adjustments in other regions.
On the other hand, the Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Central Visayas, and Soccsksargen regions have started calling for the wage adjustment in August, according to Laguesma.
The RTWPBs of Calabarzon, Ilocos Region, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula are expected to start their consultations this month.
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Mimaropa, Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas are likely to commence the consultation in October while the RTWPBs of Northern Mindanao and Caraga are set to have consultations in November, Laguesma said./PN
