Central Visayas workers get P13 allowance

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board granted workers in Central Visayas a daily  P13 cost of living allowance instead of the P90 to P132 across-the-board increase in the minimum daily wage demanded by the labor unions.

But Jose Tomongha of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) and one of two labor representatives on the regional wage board said that the board also exempted businesses operating in the calamity areas from paying the cost of living allowane for six months.

in approving the allowance, the wage board dismissed two petitions for wage increased filed by labor unions. The Coalition for Living Wage asked for P132 across-the-board increase in the daily wage while the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines sought an increase of P90.

Board chairman and labor department regional director Chona Mantilla suggested the granting of the allowance and this was supported Efren Carreon, director of the regional office of the National Economic and Development Authority as well as Department of Trade and Industry regional director Asteria Caberte, Tomongha said.

The board’s decision is to be forwarded to the National Wages and Productivity Commission and will take effect 15 days after official publication.

With the exemption, workers in Bohol, which was hit by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake, and Negros Occidental, which experienced the wrath of Typhoon Yolanda, will not receive the allowance for six months, after which their situation is to be reviewed.

Tomongha  apologized to the workers, saying he and tghe other labor representative, Ernesto Carreon, were helpless because they were outvoted by the two management sector representatives and the three government representatives.

He called the management sector “heartless” for not granting the labor’s petition for increase even on Valentine’s Day.

Because of his frustration, Tomongha said he plans to resign from the wage board. However, he will ask permission first from the national office of APL.