ILOILO – Workers in the private sector across Western Visayas should not expect a wage increase soon.
There has been no supervening event to justify issuing a new wage order, according to Atty. Sixto Rodriguez Jr., director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 6 and chairperson of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB).
The last wage order (No. RBVI-27) was issued on November 16, 2023 establishing the current minimum wage rates through a P30 increase across various sectors. For non-agriculture, industrial, and commercial sectors employing more than 10 workers, the minimum wage is P480 per day. Those employing 10 or fewer workers have a minimum wage of P450 per day. The agriculture sector minimum wage is P440 per day.
Rodriguez noted that since it has been less than a year since the last wage order, the RTWPB cannot act on any petition for a wage hike due to a mandatory one-year cooling-off period.
He refrained from commenting on whether the current daily minimum wage of P480 is sufficient for workers in the region, stating he was not in the proper position to determine individual needs.
Regarding Senate Bill No. 2534, which proposes a P100 increase in the daily minimum wage for workers in the private sector, Rodriguez said they are obligated to implement any approved legislation.
However, he highlighted that there has been no approval from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as of now, meaning the proposal is not yet law.
In the meantime, wages in Western Visayas will remain unchanged, and DOLE’s monitoring team will continue to ensure compliance with Wage Order No. RBVI-27.
Rodriguez added that there have been no complaints about non-compliance with the minimum wage implementation, although some delays in disbursing the P30 increase have been reported.
These are being addressed by the concerned companies to settle the payments, albeit belatedly, said Rodriguez./PN
