published April 26, 2011 in BusinessWorld
TACLOBAN CITY -- The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Eastern Visayas will review current daily minimum wage levels to check if these are still proportional to the current rise in prices of basic goods.
If it decides to raise these levels, it will be the last among the country’s 17 regional wage boards to do so after the hiatus in 2009 amid the global financial crisis. The 2010 round of increases started in Metro Manila, which saw daily minimum wages rise P22 to P367-P404 on July 1.
In a meeting yesterday afternoon, the RTWPB agreed to conduct a public hearing to get the opinion of private sector employers and labor groups in the region, the head of the board said in a phone interview yesterday.
"Even with the absence of wage hike petition, we will undertake a formal review, as we have noted supervening events after studying economic indicators," said Forter G. Puguon, Department of Labor and Employment regional director and RTWPB chairman.
Latest available data from the National Statistics Office show annual inflation rate in Eastern Visayas picking up to 3.3% in March from 2.7% in February. The national rate stayed at 4.3% in those two months.
The fastest increases in the region were monitored in the fuel, light and water category, which saw prices rising by 8.2% in March from 7.8% in February; in food, beverage and tobacco where inflation speeded up to 3.6% from 3.0%; and in services, where prices increased by a faster 3.4% from 2.5%.
"We expect that notice of hearing will be published today," Mr. Puguon said.
"The earliest time that we can conduct the public hearing is on May 11. We will follow the 15-day requirement to give enough time for both employers and workers to present their side."
He said the board will meet right after the public hearing to deliberate and, if found warranted, issue a new wage order for private establishments to comply with.
"It’s possible that the board will reach a final agreement in just one meeting," Mr. Puguon said.
At the same time, however, he admitted that it’s "not anymore feasible" to adjust daily minimum wage levels by Labor Day.
The current daily minimum wage in Eastern Visayas took effect on June 16, 2008. Wage Order No. 15, issued on May 20 that year and published June 1, raised the daily minimum wage by a total of P18 to P198.50-240. --
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