Thursday, April 10, 2008 Wage board to discuss P136 pay hike petition
THE Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) will discuss today the petition for a P136 minimum wage increase filed by the Progressive Independent Alliance of Labor Organizations (Pialo).
Pialo, represented by Metodio “Boboy” Belarmino, said high prices of basic commodities, inflation and effects of globalization should be reasons enough to grant an increase.
Director Elias Cayanong of the Department of Labor and Employment (chairman); Directors Asteria Caberte of the Department of Trade and Industry, and Marlene Rodriguez of the National Economic and Development Authority; management representatives Hidelito Pascual and Charles Streegan; and labor representatives Marianito Ventura of the Trade Unions of the Philippines and Allied Services, and Jose Boquecosa of the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) comprise the RTWPB.
Ventura said that the last wage order for a P250 per day minimum wage was issued late last year and took effect last Nov. 11. Under the law, only one wage order should be issued by the RTWPB in a year.
Ventura, however, said that the RTWPB is also allowed to issue another order for another round of wage increase even before the one-year period lapses if the prices of
basic commodities increase and affect the buying power of workers.
Ventura said media reports and some government agencies have confirmed that prices of basic commodities have gone up.
“Who will disagree that the price of rice, one of the most important basic needs of the workers, did not increase? In fact, we have a rice crisis”, Ventura said.
Ventura said that aside from rice, house rentals, electricity and water rates adjustments also increased.
Caberte has confirmed that rising prices of commodities can be a factor for a wage increase.
She furnished a copy of the price monitoring report for the month of March which showed that prices of basic and prime commodities indeed increase.
Some workers said that while the minimum wage is P250 per day in Metro Cebu, some firms still pay workers wages below P200.
On the other hand, Ventura said that ALU-TUCP has filed a petition only for P60 to make sure there is an increase.
ALU-TUCP filed in 2006 a petition for a P75 increase in the minimum wage but only P15 was approved. (EOB)
