EDITORIAL - Sad plight

The Cebu Labor Coalition has filed a petition for a P120 wage increase before the Department of Labor and Employment the other day. Alliance of Progressive Labor chairman Jose Tomongha said there is a need for a salary adjustment to help minimum wage earners cope with the rising commodity prices.

DOLE regional director Elias Cayanong, for his part, promised to look into the petition, saying it will be carefully evaluated by the Regional Tripartite Wage Productivity Board.

Although he did not promise a speedy approval of the move, Cayanong assured that they are open to all wage increase petitions, which will go through the rigid process.

Well, the labor sector can have all the time in the world clamoring for a new round of salary increase. It is well within its rights to demand for better compensation in these times of hardship.

It does not take an economic genius to explain that minimum wage earners have been losing the bulk of their take-home pay to the rising cost of commodities. Just recently, the authorities increased the minimum fare for public utility vehicles, a move that had added to their misery.

Just ask the ordinary folk, and they won’t hesitate to respond that all these high commodity prices are slowly dragging them six feet under. So another round of wage hike is absolutely needed, as far as they are concerned.

But it still boils down to the issue as to how much the wage adjustment should be. As in the past, the regional wage board would then yield to the petition of the labor sector, although the approved amount is far below from what was being demanded.

The business sector will surely oppose the P120 wage adjustment sought by the workers. In these times when they are still reeling from the effects of the global economic meltdown, employers would say such amount would surely be unrealistic.

Anyway, the ball is now in the hands of the wage board, which should seriously consider the petition. The P120 wage adjustment may not be reasonable. But authorities should at least consider the sad plight of the minimum wage earners.