P20 daily wage hike to take effect in Central Mindanao Oct. 9

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KORONADAL CITY – Starting October 9, the daily minimum wage for private sector workers in Central Mindanao will increase by P20, a labor official has announced.

The increase was contained in the wage order that the Regional Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) has ordered, Jessie Dela Cruz, RTWPB-12 board secretary, said on Tuesday.

Albert Gutib, the director of the Department of Labor and Employement in Central Mindanao, said the wage order covered the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong and Koronadal.

Gutib said workers in the non-agricultural sector would receive a daily wage of P295 while employees in the agricultural, retail and services sector would receive a daily wage of P277 effective October 9, 2016.

He said before coming up with the new wage order, which came two years after the last wage increase in the region, the RTWPB held dialogues and consultations with labor groups and employers.

Gutib explained that the new wage order integrated the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) of P5 into the new minimum wage rates.

The new wage order also simplified the sectoral or industry classification of workers into just two: non-agriculture and agriculture/retail/service sector.  SFM