6 more regions to grant wage hike

Workers in six regions are next in line to receive economic relief.

Wage boards in Metro Manila, the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Visayas, Caraga and Western Mindanao may issue new wage orders within the week, the Department of Labor and Employment said.

National Wages and Productivity Commission Executive Director Ciriaco Lagunzad said the pay increase for workers in Metro Manila could be announced "by late Monday or early Tuesday."

In Metro Manila, labor groups have filed a petition for a P78 increase in the daily take-home pay of workers.

But Lagunzad said the Metro Manila wage board would issue its pay increase decision based on the actual needs of the workers and the capability of employers to pay.

Last Friday, workers in the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) and Central Luzon were the first to be granted an additional P20 cost-of-living allowance (COLA).

Lagunzad said he expects the 17 regional wage boards to issue new wage orders by the end of June with or without formal wage petitions from labor groups.

In her Labor Day speech last May 1, President Arroyo gave the wage boards 30 days to come out with new wage orders.

But in a statement, the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) called for the immediate abolition of the "good-for-nothing regional wage boards."

The two left-leaning labor groups have united to push for a legislated P125 across-the-board salary increase.

The KMU and BMP belong to rival factions of the left.

The KMU is affiliated with the party-list group Anakpawis, which has two seats in Congress, occupied by Reps. Crispin Beltran and Rafael Mariano.

The BMP has ties with another party-list group, the Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), represented by Rep. Renato Magtubo.

The alliance was forged during a forum of the congressional committee on labor and employment. Leaders of the two party-list groups pledged to cooperate and coordinate "in advancing their common struggle for the much-needed wage increase."

In a separate statement, the KMU hit the P20 COLA increase granted by the Central Luzon and CAR wage boards.

"It is not enough. It’s actually an insult to the workers’ fight for substantial wages. A COLA is not a substantial wage increase," the KMU said.

The increase will not help workers "cope with the upcoming fare hikes, power rate increase and the other effects of additional (value-added tax) on the prices of basic goods and services," the KMU said. — With Benjie Villa