West Visayas workers get P10 daily wage hike

MANILA, Philippines—The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) 6 granted on Saturday a P10-a day wage increase to workers in Western Visayas.

With the increase, workers employed in nonagriculture, industrial and commercial establishments employing more than 10 people will receive P287 per day. For those employing less than 10 workers, the new wage will be P245.

In the agriculture sector, plantation workers will receive P255 while those in nonplantation jobs will get P245.

The new wage rates will take effect 15 days after their publication in local newspapers of general publication.

According to RTWPB Chair and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region VI Director Ponciano Ligutom, the wage adjustment is for floor wage or minimum wage earners only.

“The board is strongly encouraging employers who can afford to pay more to seriously consider implementing the productivity-based pay scheme which will inspire workers to be productive and, in doing so, the companies’ productivity will rise,” he said.

The PBP scheme provides additional compensation to workers based on their productivity.

Ligutom said the board unanimously approved the adjustment of the minimum wage rates of workers in the region after considering various conditions that warranted an increase.

The conditions, among other things, were the impending imposition of a value added tax (VAT) to raw sugar in the agriculture sector and the number of establishments and workers covered in the different industries.

The competitiveness of the region was also considered, including the needs of the workers and the capacity of the employers to pay. Tina G. Santos