CELAC to file wage hike petition on Monday

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Labor Coalition is set to file a petition for wage increase on Valentine’s Day before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board.

CELAC head Jose Tomongha said their group agreed to file the petition on February 14 but refused to divulge at the moment the amount they will be asking until Monday wherein a formal announcement will be made during a press conference.

Tomongha however said that their petition for wage increase will be anchored on the rising cost of public transportation and prices of basic commodities. In an earlier interview Tomongha hinted that their group will be asking between P100 to P150 across the board wage increase for the daily minimum wage in Central Visayas.

Businessman Robert Go, director of the Philippine Retailers Association-Cebu, said that an across the board wage increase is never a good idea because it destroys the economy because it will result to depletion of jobs.

According to Go, the country is losing big companies to China, Malaysia and Indonesia because of our expensive wages.

Central Visayas currently have the following minimum wages; P285 for (Class A), P265 for (Class B), P255 for (Class C) and P240 for (Class D).Class A comprises the cities of Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapulapu, Mandaue, Naga and Talisay, and the Municipalities of Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, and San Fernando.

Class B is composed of Toledo City and the rest of the towns of Cebu except the Municipalities in the Islands of Bantayan and Camotes.

Class C comprises the cities and municipalities in the Provinces of Bohol and Negros Oriental.

While Class D is composed of the municipalities in the Province of Siquijor and municipalities in the Islands of Bantayan and Camotes.

Central Visayas has between 85,000 to 100,000 workers. (FREEMAN)