MANILA, Philippines—While the rest of the country will not get a minimum wage increase by Labor Day, Eastern Visayas could get one before May 1, a ranking labor official said Monday.
Ciriaco Lagunzad III, chair of the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), said the wage board in Region 8 met Monday to decide whether or not to raise the minimum wage in Eastern Visayas, which last saw a wage increase in 2008.
“Probably. They might produce one before May 1 because they have no legal impediment,” Lagunzad told reporters.
“The last wage increase was more than two years ago. It’s already very ripe,” he added.
The last wage increase in Region 8 took effect on June 16, 2008. It set the minimum wage for non-agricultural workers at P238 while agricultural workers in plantations got P213 to P219 and those not working in plantations, P198.50.
“(The Region 8 wage board) can actually do this on their own (and) very fast, provided they comply with the basic requirement of law and that is the holding of a public hearing,” Lagunzad said.
“After which, they can deliberate and make a decision,” he added.
Lagunzad said there was no pending wage hike petition in Region 8 and the board there would be acting motu proprio, or on its own, if it orders a wage increase.
“So, that is what is peculiar there. There are other regions—Region 10 and Region 7—that said there was no supervening event but that might change because right after they resolved that, petitions were filed in both regions,” Lagunzad said.
“So, on the basis of the petitions, the boards again would have to access, given the conditions, and decide, whether there is enough reason to make a decision earlier than usual,” he added.
Lagunzad said two other regions—Metro Manila and Western Visayas—were studying whether to raise wages in their areas.
“We expect, specifically (Metro Manila), to hold a public hearing on May 2 and they have committed to make a decision on the issue before the middle of May,” Lagunzad said.
“Region 6 will make a decision a little later than May,” he added.
Lagunzad said the government would provide “non-wage measures” for regions that would not get a wage increase.
“We convened 15 agencies last week and each of the agencies has clarified non-wage measures they are implementing. Our role in Dole is to coordinate and share information,” he said.
Lagunzad said these measures included the government’s “discount caravan” that sell basic commodities at “discounted prices or manufacturer’s prices” while the “Botika ng Bayan” also sells medicine at a 50 percent discount.