By Sarwell Meniano/Philippine News Agency
TACLOBAN CITY — The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Eastern Visayas has started the consultation process to determine if there’s really a need to adjust the current wage structure for workers in the private sector.
The wage body held its first consultation in Ormoc City on April 26 attended by employers and workers in the western part of Leyte province.
RTWPB chairman Yahya Centi, regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment, said on Tuesday the board initiated the wage review in different areas by “motu proprio” since there’s no petition from workers to adjust the daily compensation.
“The public consultation also aims to update our workers on the state of the economy in the region. We are trying to look into the socio-economic indicators in the region. The board takes into cognizant the Gross Regional Development Product, inflation rate, poverty threshold, among others,” Centi told reporters.
“By operations of law, we are mandated to review the wage order one year after it took effect. Before the expiration of Wage Order No. 20 on June 25, we have already started the process,” he added.
Wage Order No. 20, signed on May 7, 2018 and took effect on June 25 the same year, raised the daily pay of minimum wage earners in Eastern Visayas from PHP20 to PHP30. The adjustments vary on the nature of the industry and the number of workers.
Workers in the non-agriculture sector including sugar mills are entitled to a PHP305 daily wage. Those employed in the retail services (with 11 up to 30 workers) earn PHP305 daily. For workers in smaller retail businesses (with 10 employees and below), the minimum daily pay is PHP275.
Those employed in cottage and handicraft industries receive daily pay of PHP275. Laborers in the farming sector have daily pay of PHP275.
The regional board in Eastern Visayas is a tripartite body composed of six members — three representatives from the government, two from the workers’ sector and one from the employers’ sector.
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