RTWPB to integrate P13 COLA to basic pay

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-7, after conducting four public hearings in Central Visayas, has decided yesterday to integrate the P13 per day cost of living allowance into the basic pay of minimum wage earners.

RTWPB-7 chairman Exequil Sarcauga said that the board came up with such decision after making a review, six months after the said COLA was implemented.

Sarcauga said he will forward their decision to the National Wages and Productivity Commission for approval then forward it back to RTWPB-7 for publication in a newspaper.

“We made a unanimous decision. We are hopeful that the decision will be implemented starting December 1, 2014,” said Sarcauga, who is also the regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment-7.

“Nalipay kaayo mi ani nga finally maapil na gyud sa basic pay ang P13/day nga COLA,” said Jose Tomongha, one of the labor representatives to the wage board.

The wage board is composed of two representatives each from the labor and management sector, and the regional directors from DOLE-7, Department of Trade and Industry-7 and the National Economic Deve-lopment  Authority-7.

Tomongha said that hopefully, the NWPC will immediately forward the amended wage order as well as its implementing rules and regulations so that the said COLA will form part of the minimum wage earners’ 13th month pay computation.

Wage Order VII-18 ((Providing for Cost of Living Allowance for Private Sector Workers in Central Visayas),  granted a P13 per day COLA to minimum wage earners in Central Visayas that took effect last March 21, 2014.

The order further stipulates that there shall be no increase in the minimum wage rates due to two major calamities in the areas of Bogo City and in the towns of San Remigio, Medellin, Tabuelan, Tabogon, Tuburan, Daanbantayan, Sogod, Borbon, Camotes Island and Bantayan Island as well as in Bohol province.

  Bohol was severely devastated due to the 7.2 magnitude earthquake last October 15, 2013 while the northern Cebu towns were severely affected by super typhoon Yolanda in November 8, 2013.

Under the amended wage order, Sarcauga said, minimum wage earners in these areas will be included.  (FREEMAN)