THE Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) should consider the operations of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) when they approve proposals to increase wages.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) President Antonio Chiu said increasing wages is not a problem for large companies, unlike SMEs.

“What we are going to protect are the SMEs. I would rather have the market forces dictate the giving of wage increases, rather than giving SMEs an order to increase the wages even if they cannot afford it,” he said.

He said CCCI is composed of many different industries that should be protected so they can sustain operations and keep their employees.

“It is the SMEs that need our support,” he added.

Chiu said they earlier recommended to raise the wage by P10 or P15 and not P20.

But since the RTWB 7 approved the P20 wage increase, which will take effect on Aug. 3, they are obligated to abide.

“I don’t know how the SMEs can cope with that,” Chiu said.

Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) 7 Director Alvin Villamor said that it was the consensus of RTWPB 7 to increase the wage by P20 daily for Metro Cebu, P15 for Bohol, Negros Oriental and Bantayan Island, and P10 for Siquijor and Camotes Island. (EOB)