Wage board 0Ks P17 Calabarzon pay hike

SAN PEDRO, Laguna, Philippines—The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board has approved a P17 increase in daily wages in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) in response to the lone wage petition filed by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

“From the P75 wage petition, the board, based on economic data, agreed on a P17 daily basic wage increase across all areas [in the region],” said Ricardo Martinez, Department of Labor and Employment Calabarzon director, in a text message yesterday.

Interviewed by phone, Board Secretary Rovelinda dela Rosa said the wage order was issued on Monday.

She said the order is pending the “confirmation” of the National Wages and Productivity Commission and will be effective 15 days after publication of its implementing rules and regulations on national dailies.

“So it will be effective most probably by January,” Dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa said the wage increase will be uniform in all five provinces and all sectors and industries in the region.

Quoting the wage order, she, however, said wage increases given by firms with no unions would be considered as compliance.
TUCP, however, was unhappy about the board’s decision.

“That’s too low compared to P75,” said TUCP representative to the board Francis Valois.
Valois said the figure was computed based on reports that the consumer price index in Calabarzon is similar to that of Metro Manila.
“They could have at least made it P22, at par with (the wage increase in) NCR (National Capital Region),” he added.

The minimum wage in Calabarzon ranges from P265, the lowest according to the TUCP and is given by companies in Quezon province, to P320 in Laguna and Cavite, which are considered as prime industrial provinces. Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon