BAGUIO CITY — The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) had set the schedules for the public consultations in the whole region, board secretary Agusto Aquillo told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The RTWPB in a meeting on Thursday agreed on conducting a series of public consultation throughout the region from June 26 to July 4. The schedule, Aquillo said, is “beyond the prohibition”, which is a year after the last wage order.
Aquillo said the board saw an intervening event to look into a possible wage increase, so they have decided to publish a notice throughout the region for public consultations.
The regional wage board has set the public consultation in Abra on June 26; Baguio and Benguet, June 28; Kalinga and Apayao, July 3; and Ifugao and Mountain Province, July 4.
The result of the public consultations will be deliberated on by the board to see if there is a need to issue a wage order or a mere wage advisory.
“Pag lumabas na kailangan [ng increase] (if the board sees there is a need for an increase), the board will issue a new wage order particularly in the minimum wage rates,” Aquillo said.
It was on May 5, 2017, when the board issued the last wage order, increasing by PHP15 the minimum wage in the whole region. Baguio, the highly urbanized area in the region, increased its minimum wage to PHP300.
In a separate interview, Aldrin Fredirico Bahit Jr. of the Philippine Statistics Authority said the basis of wage increase is the health of the economy and the gross regional domestic product, which comprises agriculture, services, and sub-industries, including the labor force survey.
Bahit said also considered is the consumer price index, which comprises the statistics, the inflation rate, and the price movement.
“Napakahirap magcraft ng wage natin kasi ang basis ng inflationary is goods and services kasi tumaas na lahat (It is difficult to craft a wage order, since the basis is good and services, and everything has increased),” he noted.
Bahit said the effect of the implementation of the TRAIN Law or the government’s tax reform package would also now be considered.
Milagros Rimando, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Director in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), said the “food basket”, prices of commodities, inflation, the business situation, as well as the general economic condition in the region are considered by the board in crafting a wage order.
Rimando said aside from the welfare of the workers, the management sector’s condition is also looked into to strike a balance in the local economy. (Liza Agoot/PNA)
