CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga –The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional office here has urged private business firms operating in the region to comply with the new wage order that will take effect on August 1.
DOLE Regional Director Zenaida Angara-Campita on Wednesday reminded the employers to be proactive in complying with the upcoming implementation of Wage Order RBIII No. 21 or the additional PHP20 daily wage increase in Central Luzon.
“Minimum wage earners in this region who do not receive the adjusted daily wage after August 1 may visit the nearest DOLE Central Luzon field offices and ask for an assistance,” Campita said.
Likewise, she said it is the responsibility of the employers and their human resources (HRs) to secure a copy of the wage order and implement it to the concerned workers receiving the exact minimum wage.
“We are sad to see workers go out of their way to come to our office just to secure a copy of the said wage order, but that is the responsibility of their employers and HRs, not them,” she said.
Campita likewise reiterated that the labor department is ready to take necessary actions, including filing of charges and penalties against erring establishments.
Under the new wage order, minimum earners in Central Luzon in the non-agriculture category and establishment with total assets of PHP30 million or more will receive a PHP400 basic pay per day.
On the other hand, employees working in the non-agriculture category and establishments with assets of less than PHP30 million will have a PHP393 basic pay per day.
This new wage hike adjustment applies for minimum wage earners in the provinces of Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan, Zambales, Bataan and Nueva Ecija.
For the province of Aurora, the daily minimum wage increase will take effect in two tranches—from PHP329, a PHP10 increase to PHP339 on August 1 and another PHP10 increase to PHP349, six months later.
Under the agriculture category, the new wage hike for plantation and non-plantation workers in Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales, will be PHP370 and PHP354, respectively.
Workers in the plantation and non-plantation in Aurora, on the other hand, will be PHP334 and PHP322, respectively.
Meanwhile, for the retail or service category, with 16 or more workers – PHP389 and with less than 16 workers – PHP375, for both six provinces; and, PHP284 in Aurora. (Zorayda Tecson/PNA)
