Mindanaotoday.com | Employers’ capacity to pay, workers’ needs considered in wage hike: RTWPB-10
By: Recthie Paculba
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Publishing the new minimum wage rate, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB)-10 cited the considerations for such increase that include capacity of the employers to pay, needs of workers and families, wage level of neighboring regions having similar economic situation, and inflation rate.
“It is both science and art. There is no hard and fast rule in fixing wage increases,” lawyer Vergel Walag of RTWPB-10 said, emphasizing that the board considers the entirety in coming up with the decision on the amount of wage increase and a political process needs to be undertaken.
Prior to the publication of the P25 wage increase for the first tranche to take effect, June 18, 2022 and the second tranche increase of P15 and P22, December 16, 2022, the board held several public consultations held in Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental.
“We were able to get the opinion of both the management and labor and we feel that using the data that we have from the government, the amount of P40 is reasonable and acceptable,” Arsenio Sebastian, management representative of RTWPB-10 said.
Based on Wage Order No. RX-21, under the non-agriculture, the new minimum wage rate for Wage Category I for the first tranche is P390, Wage Category II (P383), Wage Category III (P375), Wage Category IV (P368).
For the second tranche, the new minimum wage rate for Wage Categories I and II is P405, and P390 for Wage Categories III and IV.
For the new classification under non-agriculture, Wage Category I covers the Cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Malaybalay, Valencia, Gingoog, El Salvador and Ozamiz, and the Municipalities of Tagoloan, Villanueva, Jasaan, Opol, Maramag, Quezon, Manolo Fortich and Lugait.
Wage Category II new classification under non-agriculture includes the Cities of Oroquieta and Tangub, and the Municipalities of Laguindingan, Mambajao and Balingasag, and all other areas not covered under the above categories.
Under agriculture, Wage Category I areas’ new minimum wage rate for the first tranche is P378, Wage Category II (P371), Wage Category III (P363), and Wage Category IV (P356). For the second tranche, Wage Category I rate will be P393 and Wage Category II is P378.
From the said sector, the areas under Wage Category I under new classification include the Cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Malaybalay, Valencia, Gingoog, El Salvador and Ozamiz, and the Municipalities of Tagoloan, Villanueva, Jasaan, Opol, Maramag, Quezon, Manolo Fortich and Lugait.
The new classification of Wage Category II (agriculture), includes the Cities of Oroquieta and Tangub, and the Municipalities of Laguindingan, Mambajao and Balingasag, and all other areas not covered under the above categories.
RTWPB-10 also spearheaded the publication of Wage Order No. RBX-DW-03, providing for a minimum wage rate increase for domestic workers in region 10 with a P500 new wage increase. Thus, for the cities and first-class municipalities, the new minimum wage rate is P4,500 and other municipalities’ new rate is at P3,500.
The said wage order shall apply to all domestic workers, whether on a live-in or live-out arrangement that include general househelp, yaya or nanny, cook, gardener, laundry person, and any person who regularly performs domestic work in one household on an occupational basis.
Any person, corporation, trust, firm, partnership, association or entity who withholds the payment of the prescribed minimum wage or otherwise commits any of the unlawful acts enumerated under Republic Act No. 10361 and Section 12 of RA 6727 as amended by RA 8188 shall be dealt with in accordance with the said laws. (RTP | PIA-10)
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