ILOILO City – Another wage increase in Western Visayas would turn off potential investors, warned the Iloilo Business Club (IBC).
Today, IBC is submitting a position paper to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) opposing a wage hike, said Executive Director Lea Lara.
RTWPB is holding another public consultation on the wage hike petition of the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Workers Union – Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (PACIWU-TUCP).
The group is seeking the following increases in the daily wage:
* P150 for workers in businesses with over 10 workers
* P140 for workers in agricultural plantations
* P130 for workers in establishments with less than 10 workers
No businessman could afford those increases, said Lara.
It was only last year when the RTWPB approved a wage, she added.
“We would like to create a very good climate to attract investors,” said Lara.
Two successive wage increases were not the way to do it, she stressed.
Lara also claimed the P323.50 minimum wage in Western Visayas is already higher than those of other regions.
PACIWU-TUCP filed its wage hike petition on Jan, 22, 2018 yet. RTWPB conducted consultations in Aklan on April 24 and in Capiz on April 26.
After today’s public consultation in this city, another would be held in Bacolod City on May 10.
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) director Johnson Cañete said there was no opposition to the wage hike petition during the Aklan and Capiz public consultations.
Businesses in Boracay, however, sought for a moratorium in wage increase, citing the island’s six-month temporary closure for rehabilitation beginning April 26.
In Wage Order No. 23 approved in Feb. 16 last year, the RTWPB increased the daily minimum wage of private sector workers in Western Visayas and Negros Occidental.
The following wages took effect beginning March 16, 2017:
* P323.50 (from the previous P298.50) in the non-agriculture / industrial / commercial sector employing more than 10 workers – or a P25 increase
* P271.50 (from the previous P256.50) in the non-agriculture / industrial / commercial sector employing 10 workers or less – or a P15 increase
* P281.50 (from the previous P266.50) in the agriculture sector with plantation – or a P15 increase
* P271.50 (from the previous P256.50) in the agriculture sector but non-plantation – or a P15 increase.
Business groups expressed opposition to these, saying the increases were beyond the capacity of most businesses. They then pushed for an increase of up to P12 daily only.
DOLE Region 6 said the wage board tried to balance what the workers were demanding and what the employers could afford to give.
The groups that opposed Wage Order No. 23 were the IBC, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.-Iloilo, Iloilo Multi-Sectoral Business Organization, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Panay Inc., Philippine Retailers Association-Iloilo, Iloilo Hotels Restaurants and Resorts Association, Panay Organic Producers Association, Ilonggo Producers Association, and Chamber of Real Estate Builders Association-Iloilo./PN
What you said IBC, it is bad for you as business man but for those who are in need is a grace. Make it equilibrium for business and for the employee. How your employee suffer for a lot of high burden you also should share with them. Don’t think your pocket always. You can’t bring your money when you dead.
how selfish mr Lara ang comment mu walang pakialam xa mga manggagawa..lahat tumaas na ang sweldo hindi..kulang pa ba mga buildings xa iloilo para mawalan ka ng investors??kayo lng makakain ng tama …kainis kayo…ikaw kay xa kalagayan namin???