Dole-7 exec: Two more deliberations for wage hike petitions

The petitions for wage increase in Region 7 still have a long way to go as the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) has just finished two out of four deliberations this week.

Luchel Taniza, Information Officer of the Department of Labor and Employment, said that the third deliberation is scheduled on June 7 while the fourth has not been calendared yet.
Taniza said that there is still no definite amount in the wage increase yet.

She said that the RTWPB, chaired by the DOLE regional Director Alvin Villamor, would also need to compare the wage standards of other regions which have similar economic standing with Central Visayas.

Taniza added that if the board would be able to come up with a wage order by middle of June, this would still have to be reviewed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission which would eat up at least two weeks.

If approved by NWPC, the new wage would only take effect 15 days after publication.

To recall, the RTWPB-7 had held two public hearings since February 2018.

These petitions are the PHP155.80 daily wage adjustment petition filed by the Cebu Labor Coalition, Lonbisco Employees Organizattion (LEO), METAPHIL Workers Union (MWU),NUWHRAIN-Montebello Chapter, NLM-Katipunan, and Union Bank Employees.

The Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) also filed a petition for a P120 across-the-board wage adjustment.

“We are hoping that before the celebration of the Independence Day on June 12, the wage board can now issue a new wage order,” said Joe Tomongha, chairman of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) and labor sector representative of RTWPB-7, in a separate interview on Thursday.

Tomongha said that the wage board in their second deliberation of the petitions had agreed that the workers in the region would need an increase in their current minimum wage.

“We can expect an increase,” said Tomongha, citing that the rapid increase of the basic and prime commodities, especially petroleum products, and the implementation of the Republic Act (R.A.) 10963 or Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law as basis for implementing wage increase.

Tomongha said that during their 2nd deliberation on Tuesday, the wage board has already invited other government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), who presented the updates on the Prices of Basic Prime Commodities, and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) who presented the Region’s Economic Performance and Prospects.

The Philippine Statistics Agency (PSA) has also presented and discussed the updated prices of basic Agricultural Products, Inflation Rate, and Consumer Price Index.

The first deliberation happened on May 16. Tomongha is hoping that on their 3rd deliberation, the wage board will now be able to identify the amount of increase that would be implemented in the region.