The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board has approved a P20 increase in the basic pay of minimum wage earners in Negros Oriental.
The RTWPB, voting 4-2, made the “historic” increase, which acting Department of Labor and Employment Regional Director and RTWPB chair Exequiel Sarcauga described as “the highest wage increase issued by the wage board so far.”
The P20 increase will be in effect before the end of this month.
The Wage Order was arrived at after consultations were made with various stakeholders all over the region, after two labor organizations petitioned for a minimum P100 across-the-board wage increase.
In Negros Oriental, the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce & Industry opposed the petition for a wage increase, citing the latest round of fuel price increases and the increase in the price of electricity.
But in a position paper, the NOCCI said they are in favor of a wage increase if it is based on the inflation rate.
With the new wage order, workers in Class A areas–including Metro Cebu, Carcar City and Danao City–will get P305 in daily pay up from the current P285.
Workers in Class B areas–those outside Metro Cebu but within Cebu province–will get P285 per day, up from P265.
Those in Class C areas–including Siquijor, Bantayan and Camotes Islands–will get P260 per day, up from P240.