DESPITE the absence of a wage increase petition, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB-7) held a wage consultation with stakeholders and labor sectors at Sarrosa International Hotel yesterday.
“We will assess the positions of the sectors presented (wage consultation) before we can hold a public hearing for wage adjustments,” Director Exequiel Sarcauga of the Regional Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-7) said yesterday.
Republic Act 6727 mandates RTWPB to review a 12-month-old wage order. Wage Order No. 18 which imposed a P13 wage adjustment was approved in March 21 last year.
Joe Tumungha, who represents the labor sector through the group Nagkaisa, said a wage increase is essential due to increases in tuition, water, power bills and oil prices.
Tumungha said they dropped their planned wage increase petition during the Labor Day celebration last May because the proposed P5 amount was too small.
Exemption
Fred Escalona, executive director of Philippine Export (PhilExport) Cebu said now is not the right time for a wage adjustment because the prices of commodities aren’t rising.
“Do not execute us on the train tracks. Instead, help us by exempting out sectors from the wage hikes,” he said.
Regional Director Asteria Caberte of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said they are implementing a “price freeze” after the Cebu provincial government declared a state of calamity in the province due to the dry spell.
She said only the prices of soy sauce and cement went up twice, with cement being bought for the rehabilitation projects.