Sunday, January 21, 2007 N. Oriental traders buck P125 legislated wage increase By Victor L. Camion
BUSINESSMEN in Negros Oriental strongly opposed the P125 across-the-board legislated wage increase for private employees approved recently by the House of Representatives.
Local chapter of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Inc. has already endorsed its petition and position paper to its national federation in Manila.
Chapter president Alex Sy told Sun.Star Dumaguete that the move of the Lower House was a simple violation of the Philippine Constitution.
"If they want to help the workers then they have to amend first the law that gives power to the (RTWPB) Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board," said stressed.
He explained that RTWPB has the power to recommend wage hikes following the series of consultation with the management and labor sectors.
Sy stressed that if the bill will become a law and therefore be implemented, many of the businessmen, although they will not close, will be forced to reduce their manpower.
"The problem on unemployment will instead worsen," said Sy adding, "The situation of businesses in Manila is different with that of the province."
Sy further said the P P125 across-the-board is only applicable in Metro Manila.
Meanwhile, Provincial Board Member Melimore Saycon welcomes the P125 across-the-board salary increase for private workers.
But he stressed that the bill will indulge a false hope to private workers.
Saycon is national vice-president of the conservative labor union Philippine Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial Worker's Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (PACIWU-TUCP) for Visayas and Mindanao.
"Only those who are earning the minimum wage will benefit," Saycon said.
He stressed that majority of the private workers are not receiving the minimum wage.
Saycon, however, admitted that there are also businessmen who cannot afford to pay minimum wage.
"We are all figures, but such are not implemented," Saycon stressed.
However, he said he is not against the increase of the minimum wage but that the government should enforce the law against the violators of the wage law.
Saycon also believed there will be displacement of labor forces in case the legislated wage law is implemented.
"More businessmen will be violating the minimum wage law," he said.
Under the legislated wage law of the Lower House, the P125 across-the-board legislated wage increase will be divided by three-year term, he said.
At present, he said, private workers in Negros Oriental, under the Wage Order No. ROVII-12, is receiving P195 to P215 a day.
