Decisions on wage hike may be released by May or June — DOLE

MANILA, Philippines — Decisions on the petitions for wage increase may be released by May or June, Labor Undersecretary Benjo Benavidez said Monday.

According to Benavidez, there are already petitions to increase the minimum wage filed in regional wage boards.

“Alam naman po natin meron nang mga rehiyon—kung hindi po ako nagkakamali, anim na rehiyon—kung saan nakasampa na ‘yung mga petisyon for wage increase,” he said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

(We know that there are regions—if I’m not mistaken, six regions—wherein a petition for a wage increase has been filed.)

“Most probably mga siguro mga May o kaya June, magkakaroon po tayo ng mga decision po ng ating mga board,” he added.

(Most probably in May or June, our boards will have a decision.)

The petitions will undergo hearing and public consultations, among other processes, said Benavidez.

The current minimum wage in Metro Manila is P500 to P537 per day.

Earlier, labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino said that they filed six petitions for a P750 national minimum wage amid rising costs of oil and commodities, saying the current wage are “starvation wages.”

READ: Labor group calls current minimum wage as ‘starvation wages’

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) lodged a petition to raise Metro Manila’s minimum wage to P1,007.

READ: TUCP files petition to raise NCR’s minimum wage to P1,007

It is further seeking a P200 salary hike per day from the current minimum wage of P404 per day in Central Visayas.

READ: TUCP seeks P200 per day salary hike in Central Visayas

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