WORKERS in Western Visayas are hoping for a wage increase soon. (Tara Yap)
ILOILO CITY – The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-6 under the Department of Labor and Employment-6 is reviewing petitions to increase daily salary in Western Visayas by P250.
The RTWPB-6 held a dialogue with stakeholders last July 21 to discuss the petition to increase daily wage to P800 from the current P550.
“We remain committed to a transparent, impartial, and evidence-based wage determination process,” said DOLE-6 Director Sixto Rodriguez Jr., chairman of the RTWPB-6.
The RTWPB-6 received three separate wage hike petitions this year, from the United Labor Western Visayas Alliance (ULWVA), Iloilo Doctors Hospital Employees Union (IDHEU), and the BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN).
Petitioners cited the rise in the cost of living expenses due to the ripple effect of the global energy crisis from the ongoing war in the Middle East.
During the dialogue, management representatives pointed out the possible impact of a P250 wage hike to business sustainability.
Health sector representatives noted the challenge on workforce retention due to compensation issues with workers migrating abroad for better opportunities.
The regional BPO sector pointed out the need to implement merit-based compensation that is fair based on specialized skills and demands.
“This dialogue allows us to assess all available information and determine whether the circumstances presented constitute a valid basis for further wage review,” said Rodriguez.
The last wage increase in Western Visayas was implemented last November – P33 to P40 for private sector workers in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo provinces as well as the regional capital of Iloilo City.