• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas approved a daily minimum wage increase for private sector workers of P33 to P40 and P1,000 monthly for domestic workers, Department of Labor and Employment Regional Director Sixto Rodriguez Jr. said on Wednesday (Oct. 23).
For non-agricultural businesses with more than 10 workers, employees will receive an adjustment of P33 daily, increasing their salary from P480 to P513 per day, and a P35 hike for those with 10 workers or less.
The current wage in Western Visayas for non-agricultural businesses with less than 10 workers is P450 daily. It will now increase to P485.
Agricultural workers, who are presently receiving P440 daily, will have an additional pay of P40, increasing their daily wage from P440 to P480.
Under the latest wage order, the new daily minimum wage in Western Visayas will range between P480 and P513 per day.
Rodriguez said that while there was no petition for wage increase for domestic workers, the RTWPB-6 decided motu proprio to conduct a hearing, noting that the present P5,000 monthly they receive is the second lowest in the country.
The rates in other parts of the country are from P6,000 to P7,000, he added.
Under the new rate, domestic workers in Region 6 will receive a P6,000 monthly salary, with an increase of P1,000 from the present P5,000.
Frank Carbon, executive officer of Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, however, said that the wage increase will further drive up inflation in Western Visayas.
Expressing his opposition, Carbon said that the RTWPB should instead look into how to bring down food inflation.
Rodriguez said that the new wage order will be submitted to the National Wages and Productivity Commission for review and approval.
It will take effect 15 days after publication on or after Nov. 16, or one year after the last wage increase was implemented. | GB
