CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) culminated its series of public consultations in the region.
The RTWPB conducted series of public consultations in the region in response to a wage increase petition filed by Mardwin Cabais and Analyn Marantal of Central Luzon Workers for wage increase.
The current minimum wage rates in Central Luzon (except Aurora) range from P414 to P460, depending on the number of employees and sector. In Aurora, the daily minimum wage rates range from P344 to P409.
The public consultations began on July 18, 2023 in Pampanga and concluded on August 31, 2023 in Baler, Aurora.
Some 483 attendees participated, with 228 from the management sector and 255 from the labor sector.
The public hearing held on September 4 at the Heroes Hall Mini Convention Center in this city was attended by 70 representatives from the management sector and 79 representatives from the labor sector.
The consultations assessed the merits of the petition from the perspectives of employers, workers, and various stakeholders.
The information gathered, along with the inputs provided during presentations by different stakeholders, will be carefully considered during the wage deliberation process.
The RTWPB will convene to deliberate on the wage petition, after the secretariat thoroughly processed and reviewed all the inputs gathered during the consultations and hearing.
The DOLE assured that the wage board will take into account the current needs of workers and their families, the capacity of employers to pay, and the socio-economic condition in the region.
RTWPBs are legally mandated to periodically assess wage rates and conduct ongoing studies that serve as inputs for the determination of minimum wage rates, as may be applicable in the region, its province, or industry.