Pay hike awaits minimum wage earners in Ilocos Region, Western Visayas

Private sector workers in the Ilocos Region and Western Visayas should expect higher pay in November after the regions’ respective wage boards approved an increase in daily minimum wages, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

In a statement on Tuesday, the DOLE announced the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) affirmed on October 19 the wage orders submitted by the Regional Tripartite and Wages Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) in Region I and VI.

The Labor Department said a total of 287,683 minimum wage earners in the Ilocos and Western Visayas regions are expected to benefit from the approved wage increases.

Moreover, about 677,626 full-time wage and salary workers earning above the minimum wage may indirectly benefit from the upward wage adjustments at the enterprise level arising from wage distortion corrections.

The last minimum wage increases for the two regions took effect in July 2022.

In parallel efforts, the RTWPBs in Ilocos and Wester Visayas, likewise, issued wage orders for domestic workers which are expected to benefit 259,820 “kasambahays,” of which 23% or 58,517 are in live-in arrangements and 77% or 201,303 are live-out.

The minimum wage orders released by RTWPBs in Region I and VI, bring the total released so far this year to eight.

The regions that have approved wage increases so far are the National Capital Region, CALABARZON, Central Visayas, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and SOCCSKSARGEN.

Ilocos Region

For Ilocos Region, the wage board issued a motu propio Wage Order No. Rb 1-22 on October 10.

The wage order provides a P30 to P35 increase in the daily minimum wages of private sector workers.

Once effective, the minimum wage in Ilocos Region - comprising of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan - will go up to P435 for workers in non-agricultural establishments with 10 or more employees.

Meanwhile, the wages for agricultural and non-agricultural workers working in establishments with less than 10 employees will be P402.

The region’s wage board also issued Wage Order No. RB 1-DW-04 which provides a P500 increase to the monthly wages of domestic workers or “kasambahays,” bringing it to P5,500 a month.

The wage orders of RTWPB I was issued on October 21 and will take effect after 15 days or on November 6.

Western Visayas

For Western Visayas, the RTWPB issued Wage Order No. RBVI-27 on October 16, which increased the daily minimum wage by P30 across all sectors.

Upon effectivity, the new wage rate in the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, Capiz, Guimaras, and Negors Occidental will go up to P480 for workers s in non-agriculture establishments with more than 10 employees.

The new wage rates for establishments with less than 10 workers will be P450, while the minimum wage rate for agriculture workers will be P440.

The RTWPB VI also issued Order No. RB VI-DW-05, which increased by P500 the monthly wage of kasambahays bringing it to P5,000 a month.

The orders of Western Visayas wage board will be published on October 31 and will take effect on November 16.

The DOLE said retail or service establishments regularly employing not more than 10 workers and enterprises affected by natural calamities and/or human-induced disasters may apply to their respective RTWPB for wage increase exemption.

Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs) are not covered by the minimum wage law pursuant to Republic Act No. 9178, according to the agency.—AOL, GMA Integrated News