Wage board to hold public hearings on wage petitions next week

As the wage board in Central Visayas will start public hearings on two wage increase petitions starting next week, the labor department in Central Visayas are encouraging the labor and management sectors to submit their position papers during the hearings.

“We are urging them to submit their position paper in order for us to know their sentiments and their stand on the two wage hike petition that were filed at RTWPB-7 (Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board in Central Visayas), so that we can evaluate them,” said Director, Cyril Ticao of the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (Dole-7).

Ticao sits as chairperson of the RTWPB-7, while the regional director of the National Economic and Development Authority in Central Visayas (Neda-7) and Department of Trade and Industry in Central Visayas (DTI-7) sit as vice chairpersons of the board, with two representatives from the workers and employers’ sectors as its members.

RTWPB-7 sets the schedule of the provincial wage consultation on two wage hike petitions that was filed by Cebu Labor Coalition (CELAC) and Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) on February 28 and March 21, respectively.

“We take into consideration the lapse of the one year prescriptive period of the current Wage Order. We agreed to consolidate the two petitions, which will be discussed in detail by all sectors concerned during the scheduled hearings,” he added.
CELAC, which consists of members of the Lonbisco Employee Organization (LEO), Metaphil Workers Union (MWU), Nuwhrain-Montebello Charter and the NKatipunan and Unionbank Employees Association (UBEA), is seeking a P155.80 across-the-board wage adjustments, while ALU-TUCP is asking for a P120 wage increase.

The first consultation will be held in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental on April 12 and in Tagbilaran, Bohol the following day, April 13.

On April 26, a third consultation will be held in Cebu City while the last consultation will be held in Bogo City this May 10.
“During the consultation, we are inviting all stakeholders, most especially the representatives from the workers and employers,” he said.

Based on the Wage Order No. ROVII-20, which took effect last March 10, 2017, the minimum wage per day in Central Visayas is P366 for Class A cities and municipalities which include the cities of Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Naga, Talisay and municipalities of Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, and San Fernando.

While Class B cities and municipalities are receiving P333 minimum wage per day and include the cities of Toledo, Bogo and the rest of municipalities in Cebu Province, except Bantayan and Camotes Islands.

Tagbiliran City and all municipalities in Bohol and Negros Oriental province that were classified as Class C cities and municipalities are receiving P323 minimum wage per day while Class D municipalities which includes all municipalities in Siquijor Province and Bantayan and Camotes Islands are receiving P308 minimum wage per day.

“Wage fixing is deliberately done on a regular basis in order to ensure that the welfare of those in the vulnerable sector is protected. The task now of the members of the Board is to balance the interest of labor and management,” Ticao added.

After the public consultation, Ticao added that they will consolidate all the information for deliberation before the wage board could come up a decision and issue a new minimum wage order.