ILOILO City – Minimum wage earners in Western Visayas could receive a fresh salary increase before the end of 2026, with proposals ranging from P40 to P60 per day emerging as the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) moves closer to deciding on a new wage order.
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-6) regional director Atty. Sixto Rodriguez Jr. said economic indicators strongly support another wage adjustment, although the final amount and implementation date remain subject to the wage board’s deliberations.
Rodriguez disclosed that the new wage order could be issued after November 19, 2026, exactly one year after the implementation of the region’s existing minimum wage rates.
“We will have to act within the reasonable time,” Rodriguez told reporters following a public hearing on minimum wage determination in Iloilo City on October 9.
The hearing, attended by more than 100 representatives from the labor and management sectors, covered private establishments in Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Antique and Guimaras.
Rodriguez said economic data presented by government agencies, including the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and DOLE, provided compelling justification for raising the region’s minimum wage.
P42 wage hike eyed as benchmark
While declining to disclose a specific amount under consideration, Rodriguez indicated that the adjustment could be comparable to the P42 daily wage increase approved in Central Visayas.
“More or less but I cannot say anything about that because that is subject to the wisdom of the board,” he said when asked whether Western Visayas could adopt a similar increase.
Rodriguez explained that since assuming his post in Western Visayas, he has pushed to narrow the wage disparity between the region and Central Visayas, particularly Cebu, where minimum wage rates had previously been considerably higher.
During Friday’s consultation, proposals for daily increases ranging from P40 to P60 were raised, with some participants suggesting P50 as a reasonable middle ground.
However, the discussions also exposed concerns among employers struggling with rising operational expenses.
Some representatives of the management sector requested that the wage adjustment be deferred until 2027, citing the impact of inflation, higher fuel prices and increasing logistics costs on their businesses.
The differing positions underscore the challenge confronting the wage board as it seeks to balance workers’ demands for higher incomes against employers’ capacity to absorb additional labor costs.
Current minimum wage rates
Under Wage Order No. RBVI-29, which took effect on November 19, 2025, minimum wage earners in Western Visayas currently receive different daily rates depending on their employment sector and establishment size.
Workers in non-agricultural, industrial and commercial establishments employing more than 10 workers receive P550 daily.
Those employed in similar establishments with 10 workers or fewer receive P525, while agricultural workers are entitled to P520 per day.
If the board eventually approves an across-the-board P42 increase, the corresponding daily minimum wages would rise to P592, P567 and P562, respectively.
These figures, however, remain hypothetical, as the wage board has yet to determine the final adjustment and whether the increase will be uniform across all categories.
Decision after October 20 hearing
Rodriguez said the wage board would complete its series of public consultations before proceeding with deliberations on the proposed increase.
The final scheduled public hearing will be held in Malay, Aklan, on October 20.
Following the consultations, board members will evaluate the economic data, proposals and position papers submitted by labor and management representatives before deciding on the appropriate adjustment.
Rodriguez encouraged stakeholders to submit their position papers to ensure that their concerns and recommendations are considered.
He emphasized that the board’s decision would be guided by economic evidence and the need to arrive at a fair and reasonable wage adjustment.
“Our decision is always based on facts and based-evidence presented at kon ano talaga yong napapulsuhan nila na talagang what is just and reasonable amount for them,” Rodriguez said.
Apart from reviewing the minimum wage rates of private sector employees, RTWPB-6 is also conducting public hearings on a proposed wage adjustment for domestic workers or kasambahay.
The consultations are intended to gather information on prevailing wages, employment conditions and economic circumstances affecting workers and employers./PN
