WAGE HEARING. Western Visayas Labor Regional Director Johnson Cañete (3rd from left) with other members of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-6 during the hearing on the proposed wage increase in Bacolod City on Thursday (May 10, 2018). (Photo by Erwin P. Nicavera)
BACOLOD CITY -- The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas will start the deliberations on the proposed daily minimum wage increase after May 21.
The Wage Board scheduled the deadline of submission of position papers from both the labor and management sectors next Monday after it conducted the final public hearing at the Department of Labor and Employment-Negros Occidental Provincial Office in this city on Thursday.
“The deliberations are going to be bloody,” said Labor Regional Director Johnson Cañete, who also chairs the RTWPB-6.
He noted that aside from those in Negros Occidental, workers and business groups in Iloilo and other provinces in Panay Island have also expressed different views.
The sole petition, seeking an PHP130 to PHP150 increase depending on the workers’ classification, was filed by the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Workers Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Paciwu-TUCP) last January 22.
“This is going to be difficult for us to come up with a Wage Order that could satisfy both the management and labor sectors,” Cañete said.
He said there has been a disagreement on the amount.
Wage Order No. 23, which expired last March 16, prescribes a daily minimum wage rate of PHP323.50 in non-agriculture, industrial and commercial establishments employing more than 10 workers.
Those employing less than 10 workers, have a rate of PHP271.50.
The rates for agriculture sector workers are PHP281.50 and PHP271.50 for plantation and non-plantation, respectively.
Cañete said they hope to issue a new Wage Order by June 12.
Aside from being fair, the decision should be based on thorough discussion, he said.
“We have to make sure that the wage increase should not affect the prevailing conditions in Western Visayas. As a Board, we do not decide in favor of just one group, but of both parties,” Cañete said.
The technical supervision of the Department of Labor and Employment and other member-agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry, and National Economic Development Authority is also needed.
Edward Gasambelo, vice president of Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), said the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council has a consensus increase of only PHP20, mainly to recover the cost of inflation.
However, the amount is different from the proposal of MBCCI, at PHP10 to PHP31 inclusive of cost of living allowance (COLA) of PHP5, Gasambelo said.
Herman Santos, manager of Confederation of Sugar Producers, said sugar planters have no capacity to pay the proposed PHP130 to PHP150 increase, considering that the industry has been greatly affected by the low prices of sugar within the last two years.
“Where shall we get the desired increase of the labor sector,” he asked, adding that they can provide only PHP10 to PHP15 COLA two months after the start of milling season in September.
Paciwu-TUCP's Noel Alisin, president of employees union of Riverside Medical Center, said the increase they sought is necessary for the restoration of the people’s purchasing power affected by the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law. (PNA)
