DOLE: No wage hike announcements on May 1

There will be no wage hike announcements on May 1, Labor Day, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Saturday.

In an interview on Dobol B TV, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said, “Sa May 1, walang lalabas na adjustment [sa sahod] agad kasi dumadaan pa sa proseso.”

(There won't be any wage hike announcements on May 1 as these have to go through a process.)

Laguesma said eight pending wage hike petitions were under review by the Regional Wages and Productivity Boards of the areas where the appeals were filed.

The wage hike petitions are for the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, and Central Visayas.

“Mayroon pong time frame na dapat sundan ang ating mga RTWPB,” the Labor chief said.

(RTWPBs need to follow the time frame for such matters.)

The DOLE chief said that the main activities on Labor Day were “non-wage” benefits such as a “Kadiwa ng Pangulo para sa Manggagawa, pamamahagi ng tulong ng pamahalaan sa ilalim ng iba't ibang programa ng DOLE.”

(Government aid distribution based on the different DOLE programs.)

“May isasagawa ring malawakang jobs, livelihood and business fairs sa buong bansa,” he said.

(There would also be jobs, livelihood, and business fairs across the country.)

“Sa mga kababayan nating both may trabaho at walang trabaho, sa nalalapit na pagdiriwang ng ika-121 anniversary [ng Labor Day]. Mayroon tayong mga job fair at livelihood fair sa lahat ng rehiyon. May 1,000 employers ang may alok na 120,000 job vacancies, nationwide,” he added.

(To our countrymen who are employed and unemployed, in the upcoming 121st anniversary celebration of Labor Day, we will have job and livelihood fairs in all the regions. A thousand employers will be offering 120,000 job vacancies nationwide.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News