THE Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas Region held a consultation in Bacolod City yesterday on the proposed P80 increase in daily minimum wage in the region.
Regional Ro-Ann Bacal of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said the Ceneco Union of Rational Employees (Cure) and the General Alliance of Workers Associations (Gawa) along with other labor organizations filed the petition.
Wennie Sancho, regional labor sector representative to the RTWPB, said their petition aims to recover the purchasing power of the workers, and for the rate of wages in Western Visayas to be at par with the normal wage level.
Wage rates in Region 6 at present range from P245 to P255 per day for non-agricultural workers and for P255 per day for agricultural workers.
The last wage increase was granted last year at P10 per day.
"The proposal is going to be presented and we will submit to the board and listen to the board representatives to know the pulse from both the labor and management sector. On the basis of our consultation here in Negros and Panay, we would be able to decide whether to grant it or not," Bacal said.
After the consultations, the RTWPB will start the public hearings.
“We are mandated to decide 45 days after the last public hearing,” Bacal added.
Labor Regional Director Ponciano Ligutom, chairman of the RTWPB, said the public hearing on the wage petition will be held on February 20, 2015 and they may decide on it by May 1, 2015.