CEBU, Philippines – The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines yesterday asked the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board to grant them a P100 across-the-board daily wage increase for the private workers in Central Visayas.
The five-page petition signed by ALU-TUCP national president Democrito Mendoza explained that the P100 wage increase to be added to the existing P285 daily minimum wage is needed to restore the purchasing power of the workers and give them a share in the region’s economic development.
“This amount of P100 daily increase is needed by all employees and workers receiving not only the minimum wage but also for those getting higher than the minimum wage, all of whom are equally disadvantaged by the price-wage developments. The P100 daily wage increase should be given across the board and region wide,” Mendoza said.
The latest wage increase that was implemented by the RTWPB in Central Visayas last September was only P18 per day and it was only for those workers receiving the P267 daily minimum wage and below.
Mendoza said the series of increases in the price of petroleum products has triggered the increase of the prices of basic commodities and the existing P285 daily minimum wage is no longer enough if only one in the family is working.
“All workers in the region, regardless of whether they receive minimum wages or higher, are subject to the same prices in the market and the same increases in prices of commodities,” Mendoza added.
He observed that in Calabarzon or Region 4-A, the daily minimum wage is P337 or a difference of P52 from the minimum wage in Central Visayas.
The members of the RTWPB in Central Visayas are scheduled to meet again after the Holy Week to discuss this latest petition of the ALU-TUCP.
Department of Labor and Employment-7 acting regional director Exequil Sarcauga, who sits as chairman of the wage board, said while there is already a series of increases in the price of petroleum products and other basic commodities, he cannot say yet whether the petition would be granted.
The RTWPB is composed of representa-tives from the National Economic Development Authority and Department of Trade and Industry for the government sector, lawyer Hidelito Pascual and Charles Streegan representing the management sector and Marianito Ventura, the lone labor sector representative.
The labor sector usually accuses the government sector representatives in the wage board of always conniving with the management in deciding against the request of the workers. – (FREEMAN)
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