Petition for P128 hike in wages set for hearing

CEBU, Philippines - Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board chairman Elias Cayanong, who is also the regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment-7, said that they will start holding public hearings on the petition filed by the Alliance of Progressive Labor for a P128 increase in the minimum daily wage.

The first public consultation is scheduled on February 11, this year, at the Mactan Economic Processing Zone.

“As of now, we will not preempt,” Cayanong said on the approval or on the neglect of the said petition.

However, he said, they will study everything and rest assured they will be brief and specific about the filed petition.

“There are companies that have fully recovered from the economic recession but there are others who have not, other sectors are in the process of recovering,” Cayanong added.

“If all (pieces of) evidence are submitted during the hearings, the Board will begin the deliberation,” Cayanong said.

The current minimum daily wage in Central Visayas is P267.

Under the law, only one wage order is allowed every year, unless there are supervening conditions.

Cayanong said that in discussing the wage increase petition, they will consider the inflation rate, the unemployment rate, and the capability of businesses to survive.

The Department of Trade and Industry-7 serves as vice chairman of the Board.

Other members of the wage board are DOLE-7 with assistant director Exequiel Sarcauga, National Economic and Development Authority-7 with its director Marlene Rodriguez; businessman Charles Streegan and lawyer Hedelito Pascual as management representatives; and Marianito Ventura as labor representative. — Johanna T. Natavio/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)