By RAUL V. GONZALES
Acting Labor Secretary Manuel G. Imson assured the public yesterday that the regional wage boards are conducting wage consultations with labor and employers in various industries and sectors to ensure that the wage issue will be resolved immediately.
Imson said the wage increase would be known by the end of May or the second week of June in compliance with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s directive to resolve the wage issue within 30 days.
Based on the update of the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), some 10 Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) have scheduled formal public hearings on the last week of the month while the rest are set early June.
Imson said that immediately after the public hearing, the RTWPBs, each composed of representatives from labor, employer, and the government, will deliberate and decide on the amount, the form, and coverage and effectivity of the wage grant.
According to Imson, six regional wage boards have received petitions for an across-the-board wage increase ranging from
R78 to R113 per day. The rest of the RTWPBs, he said, have recognized even without petition, the existence of supervening condition in their region is a reason for an early review of the wage situation and have submitted their findings for confirmation by the NWPC.
Imson said that the wage adjustments may differ per region because of the diverse levels of income, geographical differentiation, and socio-economic development of the area. The level of increase in the minimum wage also varies with the types of establishments, amount of capital, and employment size, he said.
NWPC Executive Director Ciriaco A. Lagunzad III said that among the factors being looked at in resolving the wage issue are the recent fare hike, the possible effects of the expanded Value-Added Tax, and the continuing increase in oil prices abroad which continue to drive prices of domestic oil products up, including fuel and power.
However, Lagunzad said that while the policy of minimum wage fixing is to protect the purchasing power of workers, it is also aimed at preserving existing jobs. He said that there should be a balance between providing a decent standard of living for workers and ensuring the survival and viability of business, more so on small and medium enterprises.
"Wage orders issued by the regional wage boards in the 16 regions cannot be disturbed for 12 months from its effectivity and no petition for wage hike will be entertained within that period. However, the wage boards can review the minimum wage levels even before the one-year expiration period if there is an extraordinary increase in the price of basic commodities and petroleum products," Lagunzad said.
"Since 1990, the regional wage boards have adjusted the minimum wage by 10 to 12 times. In NCR, the minimum wage was adjusted 12 times ranging from a low of
R13 to a high of R26.50. The total minimum wage compensation in NCR is R300 after the RTWPB-NCR granted in July 10, 2004 an increase of R20 in the form of an emergency cost of living allowance," he said. 
