Wage hike known on Valentine’s Day

CEBU, Philippines - Would Central Visayas' labor force get enough love from the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB)-7 or be heartbroken again?

The answer would be known Friday next week, Valentines Day, when the board decides whether to grant or not the wage increase petitions requested by two labor groups.

Deliberations made yesterday did not result to a decision, said Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-7 Director Chona Mantilla, who added that the RTWPB just consolidated all comments.

"Wala pa gyo’y (There was no) conclusion. Nag-review pa mi ganiha; but on February 14 adto na namo i-deliberate," said Mantilla, who also sits as RTWPB-7 chairperson.

The Living Wage Coalition and the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) had filed before the wage board separate petitions for wage increase.

ALU-TUCP is pushing for a P90 daily wage hike while the Living Wage Coalition asked for P132 across the board daily wage increase.

DOLE, the National Economic Development Authority-7, the Department of Trade and Industry-7, and two representatives each from the labor and management sectors convened to discuss the petitions yesterday.

Jose Tomongha, Alliance of Progressive Labor-Central Visayas chairman and labor sector representative in the RTWPB 7, is optimistic that the board would issue a new wage order.

He said that during the deliberation, the latest economic indicators were presented.

"Positive kaayo mi… Kinahanglan gyod na karong panahona kay gi-present man ganiha ang pagtaas sa (We are confident that the wage increase would be now after it was shown that there is an increase in the) inflation rate, so misaka na pud ang (there is also an increase in the prices of) basic commodities. We are hoping nga maka-come up na gyud sila og bag-ong order," he said in a telephone interview. (FREEMAN)