Labor leader hopes last public hearing to focus on wage hike

A LABOR leader in Negros Occidental is hoping that the last public hearing set today, Thursday, May 10, by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas will mainly focus on the proposed wage increase for workers in the region.

The last of the four public hearings will be held at the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Negros Occidental Provincial Field Office (NOPFO) in Bacolod City.

Wennie Sancho, labor representative to the RTWPB-Western Visayas yesterday, May 9, recalled that most of the matters discussed during the previous two hearings were about the impact of the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law and labor issues hounding Boracay Island in Aklan.

Sancho, also the secretary general of General Alliance of Workers Association (Gawa), said the Board, this time, should mainly tackle wage concerns.

"We hope to have more discussions on the proposed wage increase during the last public hearing before the scheduled deliberation on May 22 or 23," he added.

Wage Order 23 already expired last March 16. However, since there is no new wage order yet, the same minimum wage rate still applies.

Under which, the daily minimum wage rate in non-agriculture, industrial and commercial establishments employing more than 10 workers is P323.50.

For those employing less than 10 workers, the existing rate is P271.50.

Workers in the agriculture sector are receiving daily minimum wages of P281.50, and P271.50 for plantation and non-plantation, respectively.

Last January 22, the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Workers Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Paciwu-TUCP) filed the wage hike petition before the RTWPB-Western Visayas.

It sought to increase the salary of minimum wage earners in the region, depending on the classification of their work and the sector they belong.

The labor group asked for a daily increase of P150 for non-agriculture, industrial and commercial establishments employing more than 10 workers.

While those with less than 10 employees the proposed increase was pegged at P130.

Under the petition, agricultural plantations with an area of more than 24 hectares should provide a P140 daily increase. Those with an area of less than 24 hectares, with P130 additional pay.

The first two public hearings were conducted in Aklan, and Capiz on April 24 and 26, respectively.

During the third public hearing held in Iloilo City on Tuesday, May 9, some business groups there called for a moratorium as they expressed opposition to the proposed wage increase.

A worker said a P30 to P45 daily minimum wage increase is acceptable, while a firm suggested for a P45 to P50 hike.

Sancho said these "proposals" are actually more acceptable than the P10 to P31 pronouncement of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI).

"We will seek clarification on MBCCI's proposal during the hearing, especially on their basis for coming up with such amount," he said, adding that "it is such a demeaning increase if ever as it is not sufficient even for transportation fare."

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