Business groups’ appeal for lower wage hike rejected

ILOILO CITY—Business groups in Western Visayas lost an appeal to reduce the daily minimum wage increase due to a technicality, a wage board official said. Wennie Sancho, labor representative to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Western Visayas, said the National Wages and Productivity Commission denied the business organizations’ appeal to reduce the P15-P25 increase in daily wage because this was not submitted under oath and was “not legally verified.” The groups were proposing an increase of up to P12. The business organizations filed the appeal saying most companies could not afford it. They also warned of layoffs and stunted growth and investments in the region. The increase took effect on March 16. It covers workers in the private sector in Western Visayas and Negros Occidental provinces. —NESTOR P. BURGOS JR.