No more wage hike exemptions

MANILA, Philippines - It’s going to be a Merry Christmas for thousands of workers after all.

Though a year late, the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) yesterday reported that thousands of workers are finally getting the much-awaited mandatory salary increase.

NWPC executive director Ciriaco Lagunzad III said commercial establishments covered by wage hike exemptions are now required to pay their workers the increase granted by the differed boards a year ago.

“We are reminding employers that the one-year exemptions have already expired so they must begin paying those mandatory increases,” he said.

Lagunzad said thousands of workers nationwide are expected to receive the salary increase since the exemptions have already elapsed.

In Metro Manila alone, about 8,000 workers covered by exemptions are expected to get the wage increases before the holidays.

Based on data from the Wage Board in Metro Manila, over 100 commercial establishments in the region secured exemptions and thus did not give out the mandated P20 increase in daily basic pay.

A majority of the companies that were given exemptions were distressed establishments engaged in manufacturing and retail business.