Central Visayas workers to get P33 daily pay hike starting next month

CEBU CITY—Minimum wage earners in the private sector in Central Visayas will be entitled to a P33 increase in their daily pay starting Oct. 1 after the regional wage board approved the order on Sept. 5.

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board set the new minimum wage rates at P420 to P468 for nonagriculture establishments in the region’s four provinces—Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

In June 2022, the daily minimum wage in Class A cities and municipalities was at P435. With the new wage order, the minimum wage in Class A cities and municipalities would go up to P468 per day.

The cities of Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Naga, Talisay and the towns of Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla and San Fernando are classified under Class A.

For Class B like Bais, Bayawan, Bogo, Canlaon, Dumaguete, Guihulngan, Tagbilaran, Tanjay and Toledo, the daily wage would increase to P430 from P397.

For class C municipalities or those that were not in Classes A and B would receive a daily wage of P420 from P387.

“The wage increase prescribed herein shall apply to all minimum wage earners in the private sector within the region, regardless of their position, designation or status and irrespective of the method by which their wages are paid,” the wage order read.

For agriculture and nonagriculture establishments with less than 10 workers, their daily minimum wage would go up from P415 to P458.

The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) said the wage order was affirmed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission on Sept. 12.

The new rates are expected to directly benefit 346,946 minimum wage earners in Central Visayas, while at least 399,572 other workers may indirectly benefit from adjustments in wage distortion, the Dole said.

The wage hike resulted from several petitions filed since April by labor groups, citing escalating prices of basic goods and commodities.

One petition filed by Partido Manggagawa asked for a P100 increase in the region’s daily minimum wage.

—REPORTS FROM NESTLE SEMILLA AND DONA PAZZIBUGAN

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