Body sees new wage hike by December
TACLOBAN CITY – The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB), an office under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), is currently reviewing a possible new wage rate for private sector workers in Eastern Visayas.
The results of the public hearings on the proposed wage increase are expected to be released by December this year, according to Atty. Cecilio Baleña, mediator-arbiter of DOLE-8, during the ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ Kapihan of the Philippine Information Agency on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
Baleña stated that the moto proprio review is being conducted in consideration of several factors, including the rising prices of basic commodities and the inflation rate.
“We have been conducting series of public hearings on this issue, and hopefully, before the end of this year, we can issue a new wage order,” Baleña said on Tuesday, September 17.
However, he emphasized that while the board is keen on addressing the financial needs of workers by providing a fair daily wage, it also takes into account the financial capacity of business owners.
According to Baleña, public hearings on the potential wage adjustment have been conducted in various cities and provincial capital towns across the region, which started last Sept. 5 in Catbalogan City, Samar with the final hearing scheduled in Tacloban next month.
Currently, more than 2 million private sector workers in Eastern Visayas receive a minimum daily wage of P405 for non-agricultural workers and P375 for those in the agricultural sector. The last wage adjustment by the RTWPB was made in November of last year.
In the meantime, Baleña said their office continues to monitor business establishments to ensure compliance with the mandated daily wage.
Based on their data, around 44 business establishments in the region were found to be non-compliant with the current wage rate. These establishments have been asked to explain their failure to adhere to the mandated wage.
Businesses that do not comply with the wage order may face penalties, including the payment of wage differentials, fines, and even closure of operations.
JOEY A. GABIETA
