CELAC wage hike petition bumps

CEBU, Philippines – The Regional Tripartite Wage and Productively Board has decided to refer back to the Cebu Labor Coalition the latter’s petition for a wage hike owing to some technical requirements that the labor group reportedly failed to comply.

CELAC convenor Jose Tomongha said the RTWPB has informed him of the defects in the petition, but they are yet to receive the board’s official statement. Tomongha is also the chairperson of the Alliance of Progressive Labor.

“Our petition will not be tackled yet since we were informed that it lacks some technical requirements,” Tomongha said.

CELAC has filed a P128.60 daily wage across-the-board increase for Region 7. RTWPB will go through the facts and figures cited by CELAC once the alleged defects in the petition have been addressed.

Meanwhile, the Associated Labor Union- Trade Union Congress of the Philippines has yet to present the result of the series of consultations during the area consultative meetings before coming up with a final wage hike petition.

ALU-TUCP spokesperson Josefina Lim said they are eyeing to petition for a P50 to P70 across the board increase for all regions.

Currently, the minimum wage rates for non-agriculture sector in Central Visayas is P267 (Class A), P246 (Class B), P237 (Class C) and P222 (Class D). For the agriculture sector (non-sugar sector), the minimum wage is P249, P232, P217 and P202, respectively.

For the sugar sector, the minimum wage is P217 for all classes, the same with that of the sugar mills sector, which has a minimum wage of P237.

Class A comprises the cities of Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapulapu, Mandaue, Naga and Talisay, and the Municipalities of Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, and San Fernando or the expanded Metro Cebu.

Class B is composed of Toledo City and Bogo town, as well as the municipalities in Cebu Province, except the towns in the islands of Bantayan and Camotes.

Class C comprises the cities and municipalities in the Provinces of Bohol and Negros Oriental and Class D is composed of the municipalities in the province of Siquijor and municipalities in the islands of Bantayan and Camotes. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO   (FREEMAN NEWS)