Minimum wage earners in the private sector in the Davao region are set to receive a P29 increase in their daily wage.

This after the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-Davao (RTWPB-11) issued an order granting an increase of P29 per day for the non-agriculture and agriculture sector.

The new daily minimum wage rate for workers in the non-agriculture sector will now be P510 from P481. Those in the agriculture sector will now get P505 from P476.

RTWPB-11 said the wage order will take effect on March 7, 2025.

One of those who attended the consultation was the Associated Labor Union-Southern Mindanao Region (ALU-SMR) but the group pushed for a P150 increase.

“Na-sad lang mi kay nganong P29 lang. Kini siya dili man gyud ni siya makapalit og isa ka kilo nga bugas. Dili pud ni siya mutandi didto sa consumer price index nga na sa criteria nga dapat sundon sa RTWPB. Wala na nila gisunod,” ALU-SMR Regional Vice President, Atty. Reina Eusebio-Dalam, said.

The group said workers’ salaries could not catch up with with the skyrocketing prices of basic commodities and fare increases.

“For the past 35 years, ang kaning RTWPB, ginahatag nila sa amoa kay gamay kaayo ng umento. Dili gyud siya makabawi sa amoa nga sa nagdaan nga panahon, dagko na kaayo og utang ang mga tao kay gamay kaayo ang sweldo. Kana ba at least ibalik nila sa amoa, at least 2 pesos per year atong 35 years plus kayong additional nga magtandi sa consumer price index,” Dalam added.

An official of Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCII) said the P29 salary increase would impact businesses as it adds to labor costs.

DCCII president, Dr. Roland Suico, said micro and small enterprises will be greatly affected with the wage increase.

“Normally for businesses, if there is an increase on the cost, we will either include that as an additional portion of the price, ana man gyud na ang mahitabo ana. Whatever we are doing services mana or product, kay sa basic accounting, whatever is the cost, that should be part in the computation of the price,” Suico said.