- July 18, 2018
- Posted by: Atty. James Biron
- Categories: Labor, Legal News
Starting August 1, 2018 nine regional wage boards have approved increases in workers’ basic pay ahead of Duterte’s State of the Nation Address.
Workers in Central Luzon will enjoy a P20 increase in a minimum wage, or a range of P274 to P400, labor officials said on Tuesday. In Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal. Quezon) the increase is ranging from P9 to P45, bringing the new rate to P303 to P400. In Soccsksarsagen, it ranges from P16 to P18, now adjusting the rate to P290 to P311.
The wage board in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) gave workers a P15 increase (P270 and P280), while in Eastern Visayas, the increase will be between P20 to P30, for a new rate of P275 to P305. While in Western Visayas, the basic pay was raised to P8.50 to P26.50, now bringing the new rate to P295 to P365.
The cost of living allowances was also adjusted from P5 to P15. While the wage boards in Central Visayas, Zamboanga and Davao have yet to publish the adjustments in their regions, in the coming weeks, more workers could also expect an increase.
Basic pay will also increase by P10 to P52 (P313 to P386) in Central Visayas; by P20 (P303 to P316) in Zamboanga, and by P56.43 (P381.43 to P396.43) in Davao.
Of the nine wage boards, five of them have already implemented the increase: Calabarzon on April 28 2018, Soccsksarsagen on May 11, 2018, ARMM on June 15 2018, Eastern Visayas on June 25 and Western Visayas on July 12, 2018.
Labor Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad III said the increase were meant “to protect” the purchasing power of minimum wage earners. “This would ensure that they have income above the poverty threshold,” he said.
The needs of the workers to and their families, and the capacity of employers to pay were key considerations in setting the amounts of increase, Lagunzad said. The development needs of the region, employment, and inflation were considered, he added.
Image source: ABS CBN
