Calabarzon workers get P45 wage hike

MANILA, Philippines — About 1.56 million minimum wage earners in Calabarzon would benefit from an increase of up to P45 beginning Oct. 26, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board announced over the weekend.

The RTWPB in Calabarzon said the wage increase is equivalent to P1,170 per month – a rate approved under a tripartite mechanism.

Under Wage Order IVA-23, daily wage adjustments will vary across the region depending on the industry sector and municipality classification.

Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Francis Tolentino said DOLE would closely monitor the implementation of the order to ensure strict compliance among establishments and keep wage policies effective in Calabarzon.

Aside from the minimum wage earners, about 201,000 domestic workers or kasambahay are set to receive a monthly wage increase of P750, bringing their new minimum wage to P7,500 per month.

Wage Order RB-IVA-DW-06 covers all live-in or live-out domestic workers across the region, including general house helps, yayas, cooks, gardeners and laundry persons.

Family drivers, service providers, and occasional or sporadic workers are excluded from this coverage.

The National Wages and Productivity Commission, chaired by Tolentino and composed of representatives from labor unions, employer groups and government agencies, approved the adjustments after weighing regional socio-economic conditions, domestic workers’ needs and employers’ capacity to pay.

The Calabarzon region comprises the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.