Electricity, gas workers among highest paid, says DOLE

MANILA, Philippines - Workers in the electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning industries receive the highest basic salary among agricultural and non-agricultural establishments, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said yesterday.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the occupational wages survey of the DOLE’s Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics in 2012 showed that workers in the said sectors earned an average basic pay of P19,782, which is 40 percent higher than the national average basic pay of P11,618.

She said the survey is conducted every two years.

She said those in the information and communications industry are the next highest-paid workers with an average basic pay of P18,440, followed by those in the financial and insurance sector with average pay of P17,885.

The lowest-paid workers are those belonging to the agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors, whose average pay was pegged at P7,675.

She said the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries were included in the survey for the first time. The survey adopted the 2009 Philippine Standard Industrial Classification, which classified industries based on the productive activities undertaken by establishments.

Baldoz said the survey also showed that workers in Metro Manila received the highest basic pay at P13,450, higher than the national average of P11,618.

She said Metro Manila was followed by Region 4-A, where workers received P9,330. Workers from the rest of the 17 regions received an average basic pay ranging from P7,309 to P8,932.