Provincial wage board OKs salary hike in Ilocos, Cagayan and Caraga region

Wage hike (INQUIRER.net PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines—The wage board of Ilocos, Cagayan and Caraga region have approved the increase of minimum wage in the respective provinces, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced on Wednesday.

The minimum wage workers in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Caraga Region will have a  ₱60-₱90, ₱50-₱75 and ₱45 increase, respectively, following the approval of their Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs).

The RTWPB orders, however, will be submitted to the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) for approval.

Once approved, the minimum wage rate in the Ilocos will now range from ₱372 to ₱400 compared to the previous range of ₱282 to ₱340.

The Ilocos wage board also recommended the granting of ₱500 and ₱1,500 monthly wage increases for domestic workers in cities and first-class municipalities and for other municipalities, respectively, bringing the new monthly wage rate to ₱5,000.

In Cagayan Valley, the minimum wage would now range from P400 to P420 from the previous range of P345 to P370, once given a green light by NWPC.

The minimum wage in Caraga would become P350, if approved by the NWPC.

DOLE, however, said the retail and service establishments “regularly employing not more than ten workers and establishments affected by natural calamities and/or human-induced disasters, including the pandemic” may apply for exemption from the minimum wage order increase.

It can be recalled that Metro Manila and Western Visayas already had a wage hike adjustment, a move done to cushion the impact of soaring prices of goods due to overseas unrest.

READ: Wage hike in Metro Manila, W. Visayas to take effect June 4, June 5, respectively

The wage hike, however, received lukewarm responses from different labor groups and organizations.

JPV