DOLE-7 official: Do not abolish regional wage boards

CEBU CITY, Philippines — An official of the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7) said a nationwide daily minimum wage may be implemented in the entire country but the regional wage boards should remain due to certain peculiarities unique to each region.

DOLE-7 Assistant Regional Director Lilia Estillore made this comment a day after labor groups went on a simultaneous nationwide rally asking the Duterte administration to approve their appeal of a national daily minimum wage of P750.

On April 9, 2019, on the commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), labor groups brought out their placards and went to Cebu City’s historic Colon Street to slam the Duterte administration against the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law and job contractualization in the Philippines.

The Cebu rally was attended by members of Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno (Ama Sugbo-KMU) and Alsa Kontraktwal.

READ MORE: Labor groups slam Duterte for failure to end contractualization

Despite her agreement to a uniform daily minimum wage that could be implemented across the country, Estillore said the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in every region should not be abolished.

“There could be some uniform kind of nationwide amount (as daily minimum wage), but then the different regions, in addition to that, could have their own wage increases too,” Estillore said.

Estillore said the cost of living in every region calls for the crucial presence of the RTWPB.

The RTWPBs are mandated by law to determine and fix the minimum wage rates and structure applicable in the region.

Currently, Class A cities and municipalities in Central Visayas have a minimum wage of P386 per day. Class A cities are Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Naga and Talisay, while Class A  municipalities are Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla and San Fernando or those towns which are part of the expanded Metro Cebu.

Class B cities and municipalities are implementing P348 minimum wage per day. The amount of P338 is implemented as  minimum wage per day for Class C, while Class cities and municipalities have a minimum wage of P323.

On May 28, 2018, the Makabayan party-list bloc filed House Bill (HB) No. 7787, which called for a national daily minimum wage of P750 to be adjusted yearly by Congress, the abolition of regional wage boards, and stiffer penalties for businesses not providing the floor pay. / celr