Eastern Visayas pay hike likely before May 1

MANILA, Philippines - Workers in Eastern Visayas will likely have a reason to rejoice on Labor Day because the Region 8 wage board may grant them a salary hike on or before May 1.

In an interview, National Wages and Productivity Commission executive director Ciriaco Lagunzad III yesterday said he was informed about the readiness of the Region 8 wage board to issue a new wage order.

“They told us they would decide as soon as possible. We are now waiting for a definite date they could issue it… They are the only ones that have no legal impediments,” he said.

Unless there is a “supervening condition” or an extraordinary increase in the prices of basic commodities, wage boards are barred from entertaining wage petitions within one year.

Lagunzad said Region 8 is “ripe” for a new wage order since it last had its salary adjustment in June 2008.

At present, the minimum wage of agriculture workers in Eastern Visayas is P219, while those in the non-agriculture sector get P238.

Lagunzad said the National Capital Region (NCR) wage board is set to hold a public hearing on the salary increase on May 2. It is expected to issue a decision before the middle of next month.

He said the Western Visayas wage board, on the other hand, may issue its own wage order “a little later than May.”

So far, only the NCR and Western Visayas wage boards have declared that there are “supervening conditions” that may warrant a pay hike.

The wage boards in Northern Mindanao and Central Visayas, meanwhile, said there is still no need for any salary hike in the two regions.

Lagunzad said the wage boards in the 12 other regions are still assessing local economic conditions.