CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-Central Luzon (RTWPB-3) has approved a PHP40 daily salary increase for minimum wage earners in the region.
Geraldine Panlilio, regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment-Central Luzon (DOLE-3) and chair of the RTWPB-3, said on Tuesday the wage increase will be given in two tranches as agreed upon by wage board members and labor and management representatives from different industries in the region.
Panlilio said the first tranche which is PHP30 will be implemented 15 days after the publication of the wage adjustment while the remaining PHP10 will take effect in January 2023.
“Review na lang ng National Wage and Productivity Commission dun sa nakasulat sa wage order na kung ito ay naaayon sa Republic Act 6727 (Wage Rationalization Act) and the Omnibus Rules on the Minimum Wage Determination, titingnan kung talagang dumaan sa tamang proseso. Yun na lang ang hinihintay. Tuloy-tuloy na po ang wage increase at ang eksaktong araw this June ang hihintayin na lang din natin dahil ipa-publish pa for 15 days (What we are waiting for is only the review of the National Wage and Productivity Commission on the wage order if it is in conformity with the Republic Act 6727 (Wage Rationalization Act) and the Omnibus Rules on the Minimum Wage Determination, if it had undergone the proper process. The wage increase pushes through and we will only wait for the exact date this June because it will still be published for 15 days),” she said in a radio interview.
Panlilio said the new rate will apply to minimum wage earners or workers and employees in the private sector in Central Luzon regardless of position, designation, or status of employment and irrespective of the method by which their wages are paid.
Likewise, she said the "kasambahay" or domestic workers will also receive an additional pay of PHP500. The prevailing rate for house helpers in the region is PHP4,500.
Meanwhile, Panlilio said micro and small enterprises, especially those that are affected by the pandemic and employing not more than 10 workers, may apply for a wage hike exemption under the Omnibus Rules on Minimum Wage Determination.
The prevailing daily minimum wage in Central Luzon (except Aurora province) ranges from PHP395 to PHP420, depending on the number of employees and sector.
In Aurora, the daily minimum wage rates range from PHP304 to PHP369. (PNA)
