DOLE anticipates wage increase in more regions by year-end

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is anticipating that more regional pay boards will raise the minimum wage for workers in the private sector before the year ends.
So far, DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) in six regions have already finished processing the requirements for their respective wage increases.
These are the National Capital Region (NCR), Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon / Region 4A), Central Visayas (Region 7), Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3) and Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos City / Region 12).
“There will be more. Because so far, only six [regions] have finished [the processes] namely NCR, Regions 4A, 7, 2, 3, and Soccsksargen. That's motu propio. It means that with or without a petition, the RTWPBs are processing them," Laguesma said in a radio interview on Friday, Sept. 29.
Laguesma said the pay rise hearings are being held together with stakeholders and concerned government agencies such as DOLE, Department of Trade and Industry, and the National Economic and Development Authority.
“After the public hearings, wage deliberation. It will issue a wage order. We are hoping, although we are not interfering, we see that in the direction of their processes, maybe before the year ends, all regions have wage adjustments,” said Laguesma.
The raise in the minimum wage of workers, which considered the numerous wage determination factors stated under Republic Act No. 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act, was the result of several petitions made by various labor groups seeking an increase in the daily minimum wage.
The regional wage boards of Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Soccsksargen were the most recent to issue pay hike orders, which were authorized by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) on Sept. 26 and will take effect on Oct. 16.
Wage hikes in the National Capital Region and Calabarzon took effect on July 16 and Sept. 24, respectively.
The wage hike in Central Visayas, meanwhile, takes effect on Oct. 1. (Trixee Rosel)