Wage board to include oil price hikes impact in review of petition

AN assessment of the economic impact caused by the oil price increases in Central Visayas will be included in the review for wage hike petitions presented by labor groups, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Visayas (RTWPB-7) said yesterday.

Board chairman Exequiel Sarcauga said they made an initial review of the effects of the oil price increases last Tuesday based on reports made until March 31.

Beyond that date, he said there was a P1 oil price increase, which has to be factored into their review.

Also taken into consideration are such indicators as consumer price index, the peso’s purchasing power, transport fare increases, changes in the prices of basic commodities and inflation rate and so on, Sarcuaga said.

“They (members of the board) would like to wait for further additional info or input on that matter, which could be presented on the next meeting (in the last week of April)”, the board chairman said.

Sarcauga said he is hopeful that by this time the board can already decide whether there is already a “supervening event” that would justify another wage increase.

He said the dismissal of the P125 wage hike petition filed by the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) was done since it was submitted within the reglementary period or one year after the last wage increase in September last year. Sarcuaga said a P75 wage petition filed by the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) will be calendared for deliberation, though he declined to say when. Correspondent Fe Marie Dumaboc –Cebu Daily News