BAGUIO CITY– The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) has started holding consultations to look at the need for a possible wage increase in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
“It’s either there are petitions for wage increase from either the worker sector…or the board will moto propio (on its own) call for a public hearing to determine whether there is already a need for a wage increase,” said Jesus Elpidio Atal Jr., assistant regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOLE-CAR) in an interview on Thursday.
He said wage orders have an anniversary date, which is one year after the effectivity of the order.
“We have to review yung ating wages whether it is still responsive whether napapanahon pa siya at effective pa ba ang yung tamang pasahod sa panahon (We have to review our wages to find out whether it is still responsive and effective at the time),” the director said.
The RTWP has set the last consultation for Baguio and Benguet on September 17 at the Orchard Hotel, in Baguio from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon.
“This is an opportunity for both the labor and management sectors and their representatives to be informed of the current socio-economic indicators affecting labor and employment at the regional and provincial levels. This will also serve as the appropriate forum to discuss wage-related issues and concerns,” Cordillera RTWPB chairperson and DOLE director Exequiel Ronie Guzman said.
Consultations in Abra (Sept. 5), Apayao and Kalinga (Sept. 11), Ifugao and Mountain Province (Sept. 12) have already been completed.
The RTWPB issued the last wage order for workers in the formal industry in July 2018 which took effect on August 20, 2018.
The order increased the minimum wage by PHP10 for all industries employing 11 or more in Baguio City and La Trinidad to PHP320 from PHP310 and PHP315 from PHP305 in Tabuk City, Bangued, Bontoc, Lagawe, Banaue, Buako, Sagada, Buguias, Itogon, Mankayan, Tuba and Tublay.
The last wage order for domestic workers (kasambahay) was issued in April which took effect on May 1, 2019.
The order increased the wages of the domestic workers in cities and first-class towns in the region by PHP1,000, hiking their pay to PHP4,000.
The wage of those in other municipalities increased by PHP500, jacking up the salaries of workers to PHP3,000.
**PNA
