Central Luzon workers to get wage hike

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines  – Minimum wage earners in Central Luzon will receive a wage increase.

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board has issued Wage Order RB III-22 granting an increase of P20 effective next month.

The wage increase is supposed to take effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the region. It was published in a local daily on Dec. 17.

Minimum wage earners in Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales and Aurora are covered by the wage hike.

With the wage order, the salary of agricultural workers in companies with 10 or more employees will be pegged at P420 per day except in Aurora where workers will receive P389.

The daily minimum pay in establishments with less than 10 employees will increase to P413.

Agricultural workers will receive a daily salary of P390 except in Aurora where workers will get P354. Non-plantation workers will get P374 except in Aurora where the pay will be P342.

In retail establishments, those with 10 or more employees will have to pay their workers a daily salary of P409 and P395 for those with less than 10 employees.

In Aurora, the salary of workers in retail establishments will be pegged at P304 daily.

The regional wage board said the pay hike was based on the result of studies on the prevailing socioeconomic conditions in the region, recommendation of both  employers and workers as well as the result of public consultations and hearings.

“The regional wage board agreed to aid workers and their families to cope with the rising cost of living, help place every family in a decent and humane living condition and a the same time promote the productivity of business enterprises as providers of employment opportunities,” the order read.