3 public hearings set for CV wage hike petitions

The Regional Tripartite Wages Productivity Board (RTWPB) 7   will conduct a series of public hearings next month on  two pending petitions for an increase in the  minimum wage.

The board will start its  deliberation on Sept. 1.

The current floor wage is  P240-P285 a day for non-agricultural workers.   The last increase was an P18 adjustment granted in June 1, 2011.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 7 Regional Director Asteria Caberte, who presided over the meeting yesterday, said the board’s resolution declaring a “supervening condition” for Central Visayas to justify an early increase was validated by the National Wages and Productivity Commission and sent  back to Cebu for the board to start  public hearings.

Public hearings will be held in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, on  Aug. 12; Aug. 15 in Cebu City; and Aug. 25 in Dumaguete City for Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

Caberte said invitations for the hearings  will be sent to stakeholders including labor organizations and business groups.

Parties should submit  their  position papers so the board could take them up in their deliberation.

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) is asking for P100/day across-the-board wage increase while the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) is asking for P120/day.

With the assurance that they will be fair on both the business and labor sectors, Caberte said she could not comment whether the increase will be approve to avoid preempting the deliberation./correspondent jhunnex napallacan