BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
ILOILO – The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas will conduct public consultations on the recently issued Resolution No. 5.
The Resolution held in abeyance the implementation of Wage Order No. 21, the latest wage order in Western Visayas that granted a P10 increase in the salary of minimum wage earners in the region.
The consultation will be held on May 27 at the Sugar Workers Development Center (SWDC) in Bacolod City.
The consultation is in compliance with the procedural requirements that should have been observed when it made substantial amendments on Wage Order No. 21.
Wage Order No. 21, which has been in effect for five months, was approved on October 30, 2013 and took effect on November 29, 2013.
However, due to the devastating effect of super typhoon “Yolanda” in the business sector, the joint Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Regions 6, 7 and 8 as well as the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) requested for a moratorium on any wage increase.
As a result, the Board on December 16, 2013 issued Resolution No. 5, which held in abeyance for a period of six months the implementation of Wage Order RBVI-21 for establishments located in areas severely affected by the super typhoon.
The guidelines for the implementation of this resolution were subsequently issued.
However, in its letter dated March 21, 2014, the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), commented that the suspension of the implementation of the wage order was not within the ambit of the powers expressly granted to the regional boards. It thus reminded the Board of the procedures to be observed in cases where substantial amendments in the wage order have to be made.
As such and considering that applications from severely affected establishments were already received, the Board will hold a consultation/hearing to comply with the procedural requirements and, at the same time, address the exigency of the situation for businesses that were severely devastated by the super typhoon. (DOLE-6/PN)
