THE P395 daily minimum wage of workers in Western Visayas has reduced to P316 in terms of real wage.
This was manifested by Wennie Sancho, labor representative to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) - Western Visayas, during their teleconference meeting on Thursday.
Sancho said due to the increase in consumer price index (CPI), from P121.70 in May 2019 to P124.50 in the same month this year, the daily minimum wage dropped by P79.
"This is because the purchasing power of the peso is P0.80 when computed with the current CPI," he said, adding that the total diminution in the worker's daily wages is equivalent to P2,054 per month basing on 26 working days.
Sancho, also the secretary general of the General Alliance of Workers Associations (Gawa), said this diminution in the wages of the workers will limit their access to the goods and services needed by their families.
For Gawa, the plight of the workers who had returned to work will be adversely affected due to the adoption of flexible working arrangements like compressed work week and job rotation.
These schemes, it said, are seen to further reduce their wage and wage-related benefits allowed by Labor Advisory No. 17 issued by Labor Secretary Bello last May 16.
Sancho pointed out that it was however clarified by Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) - Western Visayas Director Cyril Ticao that while reduction of hours and days of work is allowed in a written agreement between the employer and employees for six months, the daily minimum wage should not be reduced.
Ticao, who is the chairman of RTWPB-Region 6, said as quoted by Sancho that "it is a violation of Wage Order No. 25 issued by the Regional Wage Board."
Under Wage Order No. 25, which took effect on November 27 last year, a P30 daily pay hike was provided for workers among non-agriculture, industrial and commercial establishments employing more than 10 employees.
From the current P350 plus Cola of P15, totaling to P365 per day, the existing rate is P395.
Employees from establishments with less than 10 workers received an additional of P15, making the new wage rate P310 per day.
For the agricultural sector, plantation workers received a P20 increase. So from the previous P295 per day, the existing minimum wage rate under this sector is P315.
Amid the reduction in real wage, Sancho said the workers have no other choice but to work with less income, after all it is better than having no work at all amid the pandemic.
He lamented that this health crisis had given the workers "the worst of times" particularly for those who are jobless and are facing hunger and poverty every day.
"How long can they survive? Only time can tell. With more overseas Filipino workers and stranded workers going home for good, the worst is yet to come," the labor leader said.