A LABOR group leader in Northern Mindanao is urging companies to comply with the new wage rate in the region which is taking effect on November 1.
This after the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NPWC) has approved on Tuesday, October 16, the P27 wage increase for all private workers in all categories.
The five-page Wage Order No. 20 was immediately published in newspaper and will take effect after 15 days.
Based on the order, the minimum wage rate for the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan and towns of Tagoloan, Villanueva and Jasaan which belong to category 1 is fixed at P365 a day.
The cities of Malaybalay, Valencia, Gingoog, El Salvador and Ozamis and the municipalities of Opol, Lugait, Maramag, Quezon and Manolo Fortich which are under category 2 will have P358 minimum salary.
Areas under category 3 which include cities of Oroquieta and Tangub and towns of Laguindingan, and Mambajao will have P350 a day.
On the other hand, the minimum wage for all other areas not covered under the above categories and all retail and service establishments employing not more than 10 workers is fixed at P343.
Nicandro Borja, director for operations of the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), has appealed the companies to comply with the new wage adjustment to avoid complaints from the labor sector.
"I am requesting to the companies to implement the P27 wage increase in all categories both non-agricultural and agricultural," Borja said.
However, Borja said the approved wage increase remains insufficient for workers to cope with the high cost of living.
The ALU-TUCP has petitioned a P320 wage hike.
Borja, who sits at the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-Northern Mindanao (RTWPB-10), said the labor representatives have fought for a higher raise but they were outnumbered during the deliberations.
"Gikasubo nako nga P27 ra ang increase. Para nako kulang gihapon kini. Nangusog gyud mi nga pareha unta sa Davao ang increase pero outnumbered ang labor kay duha ra man kabuok ang representante sa labor sa RTWPB," Borja said.
"Kung pwede lang madugangan ang labor representatives sa RTWPB pero dili man pud paalkansi ang management sector," he added.