The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Visayas (RTWPB-7) is yet to decide on two petitions that seek to increase the minimum pay of private sector workers in the region. | CDN File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The chance for the labor force in Central Visayas to get a wage increase this year remains uncertain despite having two rounds of public consultations held in Cebu and Negros Oriental.
Joe Tumongha, labor sector representative in the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Visayas (RTWPB-7), said it is still a long way to go before the board will decide on whether or not a wage increase is feasible for the region.
RTWPB-7 called for a public consultation in a Cebu City this morning, September 24, to solicit the opinion of Cebu workers and businesses on the proposed wage hike. It was already the second public consultation held in the region and the first of two dialogues in Cebu. The next public consultation will be held in Bogo City in northern Cebu.
The RTWPB-7 is chaired by Department of Labor and Employment Central Visayas (DOLE-7) Director Salome Siaton and co-chaired by the regional directors of the Central Visayas offices of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
The labor and business sectors are also represented in the RTWPB-7.
In May 2019, the Cebu Labor Coalition filed a petition for P360.50 wage increase while the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) is asking for a P386 wage hike.
Tumongha said that representatives from the employers sector who attended Tuesday’s consultation expressed their apprehensions on the pending petitions especially since the amount of increase being asked by the petitioners is huge.
“Sa Cebu City nga consultation, ang among masabot gyud kay dili unta ganahan ang side sa employers nga dunay increase. Kun duna man gani increase, okay lang tingali as long as dili 100 percent aning gipangayo,”Tumungha told CDN Digital in a phone interview.
(During the Cebu City consultation, I could feel that employers were not inclined to granting the increase. If they agree to grant an increase, it will not be the amount being asked for by the two petitioners.)
“Sukad sa pagkaumol aning wage board, wa pa man gyud na mahitabo pod nga 100 percent ang increase,” he added.
(Since the creation of the wage board, there was never an instance that the increase requested for was also approved.)
Tumungha said that they are holding two more consultations in Bogo City, Cebu and Tagbilaran City in Bohol Province before RTWPB-7 members will convene to deliberate on the pending wage increase petitions. /dcb