Gov't approves minimum wage increase in CAR, Bicol, Eastern Visayas

The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) has approved the salary increase for minimum wage earners in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Bicol and Eastern Visayas, the Department of Labor of Employment (DOLE) has disclosed.

In a statement, DOLE said the NWPC decision affirmed the order of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) in the three regions to increase the daily minimum wage by P30.

The decision is expected to benefit around 150,400 minimum wage earners in the three regions.

Aside from that, the RTWPBs also issued wage orders for kasambahay or domestic workers, which would benefit a total of 162,970 domestic workers, about 21 percent of them are on a live-in arrangements.

Based on the order, all minimum wage workers in private establishments in Bicol Region will receive a P30 increase, bringing the region's daily minimum wage to P395.

The wage board also issued a wage order that raised the monthly minimum wage rate for domestic workers in the region to P5,000 per month. 

In Eastern Visayas, the RTWPB approved a P30 wage increase for the daily minimum wage. Meanwhile, workers in the cottage and handicraft industries, agriculture, and retail or service enterprises employing 10 or fewer would receive P375.

In CAR, the wage order raised the wage increase raised the monthly salary of kasambahay to P4,900, or an increase of P400. (Trixee Rosel)