Workers set to file petition for wage hike

Workers will file their petition for wage hike next week before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Regulatory Board.

Jose Tomongha, chairman of Alliance of Progressive Labor-Cebu, however said that they still have to finalize the amount that they will ask from the board during their final meeting this Friday.

He added that his group would also solicit the views of other workers and discuss strategic plan on their petition and present situation of workers in the region.

With the implementation of the 12 percent Reformed Value Added Tax this February, Tomongha said that the workers are greatly affected because of the high prices of basic commodities.

Despite the expensive goods, he said that the wages of the workers in the region remained low at P223 a day.

Labor groups had already considered the filing of petition for wage increase and demands for other benefits for the workers when the 10 percent VAT was imposed in November last year.

According to him, the recent two percent increase in tax is enough reason for them to push through with their plan as this has affected the people, particularly workers who are earning meager income.

However, Tomongha said that they are still pushing for their demand for living wage and other non-wage benefits in Congress through their Akbayan representatives.

Meanwhile, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Central Visayas or Bayan also appealed to Cebuano legislators to support the bills that push for hike in wages in both the private and public sectors in Congress.

Bayan-Central Visayas chairman Jaime Paglinawan said that his group together with its allied organizations like Anakpawis and Gabriela Women's Party are pushing for House Bill 345 which seeks for P125 across the board wage increase in the private sector.

They also demand for the immediate hearing of House Bill 1064 for the P3,000 increase in the salaries of government workers.

At present, Paglinawan said that the minimum wage of P223 a day is only implemented in Metro Cebu but workers in other areas are receiving below the minimum daily wage.

"The minimum wage is way too low compared to the P538.80 living wage outside the National Capital Region," he said.

Paglinawan also explained that workers really need increase in their wages because the cost of living is rising due to hike in prices of basic goods and the spiraling increase in prices of oil products. - Wenna A. Berondo and Jasmin R. Uy