Regional wage boards urged to increase wages

MANILA, Philippines - With a growing number of Filipino families unable to meet basic needs, the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) is pressing for an immediate increase in the daily take home pay of workers nationwide.

In a resolution issued yesterday, the commission called on all the 17 wage boards nationwide to speed up the process of deliberations and immediately grant an across-the-board salary hike.

“The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) must grant across-the-board increase to allow increase in real wages and address the chronic inequities in the country,” it said.

If the RTWPBs fail to immediately issue new wage orders to improve workers’ purchasing power, the NAPC urged Congress to enact a measure granting a legislated salary increase.

NAPC noted that the last wage increase granted by the wage boards was in 2008 and organized labor groups have not demanded wage increases for almost two years, in consideration of the difficulties brought about by the global financial crisis.

The NAPC said that at this time, the country is well on its way to recovery from the global financial crisis and wage earners should benefit from the improved financial climate.

Yet, NAPC said workers’ wages have fallen much behind the price increases of essential commodities, pushing more Filipino families into poverty and unable to meet their minimum basic needs.

“The continuous real gains in production, productivity and the economy have not translated to gains in real wages and living standards, while employers and other sectors continue to keep much of the gains and profits for themselves,” the NAPC pointed out.

A few months ago, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) filed formal wage petitions seeking salary increases ranging from P75 to P100 for workers nationwide.

On Labor Day, President Arroyo ordered the wage boards to expedite the resolution of pending wage petitions.