The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the timing and amount of wage increase is crucial to revisiting its baseline inflation forecast for this year and 2011.
BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said monetary authorities had incorporated a lower wage increase during the last meeting of the Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the central bank.
In April, the BSP had revised the baseline inflation forecast to 5.1 percent from 4.64 percent this year and 3.7 percent from 3.45 percent in 2011, assuming there will be increases in wages of P25, transport fares of 50 centavos for jeepney and P10 flag down rate for taxi, and prices of oil.
The current daily minimum wage in the country’s capital is set at P382, which was approved almost two years ago.
In March, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) filed a petition before the National Capital Region Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board for a P75 wage increase across the board.
The TUCP earlier said the economy can afford a new round of wage increases and appealed to private sector partners to be more considerate.
The wage board will decide on this within the week while the Monetary Board will meet today (Thursday) for its key policy rates settings.
Tetangco told reporters that the impact of the wage hike on inflation “depends on how much increase the [wage board] is going to be approved.”
He also said that if the wage board decides to approve the higher adjustments in salaries, then its impact on inflation still depends on the timing.
“If it’s, say, implemented in the second half, then the impact would be for just half of the year, so it’s both the amount and the timing. We review the forecast every meeting, if there will be a decision by the next meeting, then probably that will be factored into the new inflation forecast at that time,” Tetangco said.
Last month, the government announced that the economy grew 7.3 percent in the first three months of the year from 0.5 percent last year. –LAILANY P. GOMEZ Reporter, Manila Times
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
“Safety and health at work every day!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
March – Women’s Role in History Month
April – Month of Planet Earth
Weekly Observances:
Last Week of March: Protection and Gender Fair Treatment of the Girl Child Week
Last Week of April – World Immunization Week
Daily Observances:
Mar 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transallantic Slave Trade
Mar 27– Earth Hour
Apr 21 – Civil Service Day
Apr 22 – World Earth Day
Apr 28 – World Day for Safety and Health at Work
