West Visayas workers to get P10 hike in daily wages

BACOLOD CITY—The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board on Wednesday unanimously approved a P10 increase in daily wages for workers in Western Visayas, board chair and labor regional director Ponciano Ligutom said.

The wage order also contains guidelines on performance-based pay, productivity bonuses and incentives.

Details, like the amount of performance-based pay, productivity bonuses or incentives, would be up to workers and officers of enterprises to determine, according to Ligutom.

The wage board approved the P10 increase after a series of consultations and hearings on a petition filed in May by the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Workers’ Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines.

The group demanded an increase of P113.57 in daily pay for commercial and industrial workers, P100.45 for workers in plantations with more than 24 hectares and P96.35 for workers in plantations with less than 24 ha.

The current daily minimum wage in Western Visayas, implemented on May 31, 2012, for businesses employing more than 10 workers is P277 and P235 for those employing 10 or fewer workers.

Workers in the region’s agriculture sector currently get P235 to P245 in daily pay.

Ligutom said the P10 increase was the most viable amount based on the businesses’ capacity to pay, workers’ needs and economic realities in the region.

Militant groups have been futilely demanding a legislated increase in wages.

Government officials have consistently ignored the demand for Congress to pass a law increasing wages, saying such a move is counterproductive.