THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) 7 will hold a series of wage consultations and public hearings on minimum wage increase by November and December.
The consultations will tackle the three wage hike petitions filed by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), the Sentro or Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), and the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Workers’ Union (PACIWU-TUCP) before the office of the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) 7.
TUCP, the first petitioner, is seeking a P161 across-the-board daily wage increase in Central Visayas, according to Dole 7.
Meanwhile, APL sought for a P140 across-the-board daily wage increase. PACIWU-TUCP also filed for a wage increase of P101.34, P90.61, and P86.87 per day for all workers in the private sector of Negros Island Region (NIR). Negros Oriental is still under the jurisdiction of RTWPB 7 up to the present, according to Board Secretary Grace Carreon.
“It (the consultation) targets to ensure broad participation of stakeholders and other parties affected by wage adjustment. It also helps generate data on the views or position of stakeholders on petitions for such move,” said Dole 7 Director Exequiel Sarcauga, in a press statement.
Meanwhile, Carreon said parties who wish to oppose the petitions may file their opposition before the RTWPB prior to the scheduled date of the regional public hearing.
Dole said the first wage consultation will be on Nov. 9 at Sarrosa International Hotel and Residential Suites in Mabolo, Cebu City. The second will be on Nov. 16 in Bogo City and will be followed by the same event on Nov. 25 in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
The last leg of the series will be in Dumaguete City on Dec. 2.
The regional labor agency also said that apart from the wage hike petitions, the public consultation will tackle wage rate of domestic helpers in Central Visayas.
Based on a survey, the current average wage rate of domestic helpers in Region 7 is at P2,500 per month.
When all wage consultations are done, Sarcauga said the board and other stakeholders involved will convene again on Dec. 9 for a regional public hearing at Sarrosa Hotel.
The regional wage board is composed of Sarcauga as chairman; Director Efren Carreon of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA 7) and Director Asteria Caberte of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI 7) as vice chairpersons; lawyer Ernesto Carreon and Jose Tomongha as labor representatives; and lawyer Hidelito Pascual and Philip N. Tan as management representatives.