Many Cebuano workers underpaid

About 40 percent of the establishments in Metro Cebu are not giving the minimum wage to their employees.

This was reported by Marianito Ventura, the labor sector representative to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, during the Kapihan sa Philippine Information Agency yesterday.

RTWPB secretary Exequiel Sarcauga also said a Department of Labor and Employment report revealed that 25 to 30 percent of all business establishments in the region do not comply with the minimum wage law.

Sarcauga said that the report is alarming, saying that there is already an order increasing the minimum wage for workers in Central Visayas. The board had ordered the implementation of the P223 daily minimum wage for workers in Metro Cebu effective June 16, 2005.

Sarcauga said the data is based only on inspectionable establishments that are employing 110 to 199 employees, adding that more than 200 firms and those unionized establishments are no longer inspected unless there has been complaint from their employees.

Before taking any legal action, the RTWPB will send compliance order to establishments that are not giving minimum wage to their employees.

Ventura, however, said that during their inquiries, many employees preferred to receive a below minimum wage rather than resorting to file a complaint against their companies and, in the process, lost their job.