Friday, May 02, 2008 Labor will have to wait By Mark D. Francisco and Cherie Fae P. Ancheta
WORKERS in Northern Mindanao will have to wait for two more weeks to survive and cope with the rising prices of rice and basic commodities.
The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) will hold one more public hearing on May 13 to consult all affected sectors, according to Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Northern Mindanao Director Alan Macaraya.
"This will be the only public hearing we have scheduled. We expect an announcement on how much the workers will receive by 5 p.m. on that same day," Macaraya, who heads the regional wages board, said.
Macaraya said the board might grant an increase not on the daily wages but as "temporary emergency allowance." He declined to say as to how much the allowance will be given to the workers.
"By September, I expect prices of basic commodities to stabilize. So let's just cross our fingers if ever there'll be another wage adjustment by that time," he said.
Macaraya said "temporary emergency allowance" is subject for automatic review six months from its issuance or roughly in September this year.
He said they have done away with consultations in other provinces because of the prevailing economic situation.
Regional wage boards have been under pressure from the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) to work overtime on the workers' wages.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited two wage board meetings in Quezon City and Pampanga Thursday to emphasize the urgency.
The President, accompanied by Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, said her presence in the meetings of the regional wage boards for Central Luzon and the National Capital Region (NCR) was "not to exert undue pressure but just to see for myself how things are doing."
Dole Northern Mindanao officer Myrna Ceballos said the NWPC had been pressuring the wage board everyday since last week to come up with a wage hike increase.
"They keep on nagging and calling us everyday," Ceballos said.
There were at least 1,000 workers from Kilusang Mayo Uno Wednesday who held a rally at the Magsaysay Park in Divisoria demanding a P125 across-the-board wage hike nationwide.
Representative Rufus Rodriguez of the 2nd district said the demand of the workers is legitimate. He has filed a bill in Congress for a legislated wage hike of P125 across-the-board nationwide.
Rodriguez said a P125 wage hike is not even enough for a worker to feed his family in the face of the spiraling prices of rice and basic commodities.
Cagayan de Oro workers have learned to tighten their purse. They also look for a second job just to cope the crisis.
Lito Unabia, who earns P244 daily wage as security guard, said he needed to work overtime to increase his salary.
"Dili gyud igo kay 1 week pa lang, hurot na akong kinsina nga sweldo. Ga renta pa ko ug balay daun daghan pa bayronon (My salary is not enough. The money runs out after a week and I have to pay for my rent)," Unabia said.
Unabia said he has to borrow money from his neighbors to make both ends meet. He is now sinking into debts.
"The minimum wage is not really enough to cater our daily expenses. I just hope we would receive an increase in salary in proportionate to the increase of basic commodities," he said.
Rex (not his real name), an employee of a private broadcasting firm here, said he makes food, water and electricity as his priority.
"I would always make it a point to do the grocery and pay all my bills on the first half of my salary. This way, I would be able to spare my other set of salary to other necessities," he said.
Mark dreams of having a "sideline" or a small business for his small family.
