TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — Poor implementation of labor laws can be blamed for the workers' salary woes in Bohol, according to Department of Trade and Industry-Region 7 director Asteria Caberte the other day.
Caberte, who serves as vice chair of the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB), said the board only takes charge of setting the ideal salary rates for workers in the region, and it is up to the Department of Labor and Employment to have these enforced.
The DOLE in Bohol, however, has been so ineffective in terms of executing the rates set by the RTWPB. The agency has the data on the compliance rate, which showed that the implementation has been poor, she said as she hoped that this will be addressed.
Workers have been aware that what they are receiving now is below the minimum wage set by the board but they just opt to just let it pass because they direly need employment to survive the financial crisis.
German Guidaben of DOLE-Bohol, for his part, explained that the affected workers must report to his office about employers who do not pay the minimum wage rate so that the agency can also act on it.
The complaints would be the basis for DOLE to order an inspection of a particular establishment, he said, adding that the agency could not just inspect an establishment at any time otherwise it can be sued for harassment.
Guidaben admitted though that there are establishments in the cities of Cebu and Dumaguete that he had inspected and found to be paying their employees P80 to P85 a day only.
It has been the policy of DOLE to field personnel from Dumaguete and Cebu to inspect Bohol area while personnel from Bohol inspect the Cebu or Dumaguete area.
Guidaben requested workers, who are receiving wages below the minimum rate set by the RTWPB, to go to the DOLE office and file a complaint for corresponding action. - THE FREEMAN