MINIMUM wage earners in the National Capital Region (NCR) are set to get a P21 increase in their salaries soon.
This development came after the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) - NCR issued Wage Order NCR-21, which ups the minimum wage in Metro Manila from P491 to P512.
Included in the P512 minimum wage for the non-agricultural sector are the P502 basic wage and the P10 cost of living allowance (COLA).
On the other hand, those in the agricultural sector shall be entitled to P475, composed of the P465 basic wage and the P10 COLA.
"The wage rates shall apply to all minimum wage earners in the private sector in the region regardless of their position, designation, or status of employment and irrespective of the method of which they are paid," said the NCR wage board.
On the other hand, not covered by the wage order are domestic workers, persons in the personal service of another, and workers Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs).
The Wage Order was issued after three wage petitions were filed at the RTWPB-NCR.
They include those of the Association of Minimum Wage Earners and Advocates (P175); the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (P259); and the Associated Labor Unions (P184).
Wage Order NCR-21 will take effect 15 days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
To recall, the last wage order in the region took effect in June 2016, wherein the wage board approved the integration of the P15 COLA to the basic wage and the granting of the P10 COLA per day.
One of the wage petitioners, ALU, immediately objected to the wage increase granted by the NCR wage board.
In a statement, ALU Spokesman Alan Tanjusay said the P21 pay increase remains inadequate to meet the needs of minimum-waged earners to escape poverty.
“The P21 increase in daily wage remains insufficient for families to cope with rising prices of goods and increasing costs of goods. The P21 is only 4.27% of the current P491. So it obviously did not lift workers out of poverty. Workers do not deserve this very small amount,” Tanjusay said.
The labor leader, then, said they are now looking at seeking anew the help of President Rodrigo Duterte to provide them cash vouchers.
“We have no other choice but to come and ask President Duterte to grant our long-standing request to provide a P500 monthly CCT-like cash voucher subsidy to minimum-waged workers, who helped build our high economic growth,” Tanjusay said. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)